Chelle tries again in 2024

Hi friends,

I was quite absent in 2023 as it was a very hard year for me and my family. Between death, illness and injury we struggled quite a bit. I managed 74 books which was more than I thought I would as there were several months with zero reading.

We ended the year with Nate getting a promotion to detective (yay) and then both of us with Covid for New Year (boo). I have very high hopes for a better 2024!

For those that don't know me yet, I am Michelle (Chelle, please), 40ish wife and mom of two little girls living in Southwestern Ontario. I have been a member of LT since August 2011. I usually read 75-100 books per year, some years better and some years worse. I'm currently in a book funk and accepting all recommendations for light and fluffy (no romance, please)

All welcome here! Wishing everyone a healthy and happy 2024!

(image at top is books covers read in 2023)

📖📕📗📘📙📖
Books read in January
1) Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch
2) Murder at the Polo Club by CJ Archer
🎧3) Hush Now, Don't You Cry by Rhys Bowen
4) The Proof of the Pudding by Rhys Bowen
🎧5) The Family Way by Rhys Bowen
6) Murder in an Irish Churchyard by Carlene O'Connor
7) The Pram by Joe Hill
8) The Alchemist of Monsters and Mayhem by Gigi Pandian
9) Come With Me by Ronald Malfi

Books read in February
10) Death in the Park by London Lovett
11) Congo by Michael Crichton
12) Moon Over Soho by Ben Aaronovitch
13) Whispers Under Ground by Ben Aaronovitch
14) Broken Homes by Ben Aaronovitch

Books read in March
15) Ankle Snatcher by Grady Hendrix
16) The Fury by Alex Michaelides
17) It Waits in the Woods by Josh Malerman

Books read in April
18) Cupcakes, Trinkets, and Other Deadly Magic by Meghan Ciana Doidge
19) Trinkets, Treasures, and Other Bloody Magic by Meghan Ciana Doidge
20) Treasures, Demons, and Other Black Magic by Meghan Ciana Doidge
21) I See Me by Meghan Ciana Doidge
22) Shadows, Maps, and Other Ancient Magic by Meghan Ciana Doidge
23) Maps, Artifacts, and Other Arcane Magic by Meghan Ciana Doidge
24) I See You by Meghan Ciana Doidge
25) Artifacts, Dragons, and Other Lethal Magic by Meghan Ciana Doidge

Books read in May

26) I See Us by Meghan Ciana Doidge
27) Catching Echos by Meghan Ciana Doidge
28) Tangled Echoes by Meghan Ciana Doidge
29) Unleashing Echoes by Meghan Ciana Doidge
30) Champagne, Misfits, and Other Shady Magic by Meghan Ciana Doidge
31) Misfits, Gemstones, and Other Shattered Magic by Meghan Ciana Doidge

Books read in January
1) Soul Taken by Patricia Briggs
2) Mr. Nobody by Catherine Steadman 🎧
3) The Cook of the Halcyon by Andrea Camilleri
4) Riccardino by Andrea Camilleri
5) Death Perception by Victoria Laurie
6) Doom with a View by Victoria Laurie

Books read in February
7) The 17th Suspect by James Patterson 🎧
8) The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
9) A Glimpse of Evil by Victoria Laurie
10) Vision Impossible by Victoria Laurie
11) Lethal Outlook by Victoria Laurie
12) Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone: Illustrated Edition by JK Rowling
13) Deadly Forecast by Victoria Laurie
14) Fatal Fortune by Victoria Laurie
15) Sense of Deception by Victoria Laurie
16) A Grave Prediction by Victoria Laurie
17) A Panicked Premonition by Victoria Laurie
18) Fated for Felony by Victoria Laurie
19) What's A Ghoul To Do by Victoria Laurie
20) Demons Are a Ghoul's Best Friend by Victoria Laurie
21) Ghouls Just Haunt to Have Fun by Victoria Laurie
22) The Trespasser by Tana French

Books read in March
23) Ghouls Gone Wild by Victoria Laurie
24) Ghouls, Ghouls, Ghouls by Victoria Laurie
25) Murder at Haven’s Rock by Kelley Armstrong
26) Ghoul Interrupted by Victoria Laurie
27) What a Ghoul Wants by Victoria Laurie
28) The Ghoul Next Door by Victoria Laurie
29) No Ghouls Allowed by Victoria Laurie
30) Ghoul's Guide to Love and Murder by Victoria Laurie
31) Aunt Dimity Goes West by Nancy Atherton

Books read in April
32) Aunt Dimity Vampire Hunter by Nancy Atherton
33) Aunt Dimity Slays the Dragon by Nancy Atherton
34) Aunt Dimity Down Under by Nancy Atherton
35) Aunt Dimity and the Family Tree by Nancy Atherton
36) Aunt Dimity and the Village Witch by Nancy Atherton
37) Aunt Dimity and the Lost Prince by Nancy Atherton
38) In The Lives of Puppets by TJ Klune
39) Aunt Dimity and the Wishing Well by Nancy Atherton
40) Aunt Dimity and the Buried Treasure by Nancy Atherton
41) Aunt Dimity and the Widow's Curse by Nancy Atherton
42) Aunt Dimity and the King's Ransom by Nancy Atherton
43) Aunt Dimity and the Heart of Gold by Nancy Atherton
44) Peril in Paris by Rhys Bowen
45) How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix

Books read in May
46) The Accidental Alchemist by Gigi Pandian
47) The Masquerading Magician by Gigi Pandian
48) The Elusive Elixir by Gigi Pandian
49) The Alchemist's Illusion by Gigi Pandian
50) The Lost Gargoyle of Paris by Gigi Pandian
51) The Alchemist of Fire and Fortune by Gigi Pandian
52) The Alchemist of Riddle and Ruin by Gigi Pandian
53) Aunt Dimity and the Enchanted Cottage by Nancy Atherton
54) The Librarian of Crooked Lane by C.J. Archer
55) Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: The Illustrated Edition by JK Rowling
56) The Medici Manuscript by C J Archer
57) Murder at the Mayfair Hotel by CJ Archer
58) Murder at the Piccadilly Playhouse by C.J. Archer
59) Murder in the Drawing Room by C.J. Archer
60) Murder at the Dressmaker's Salon by C.J. Archer
61) Murder at the Debutante Ball by C.J. Archer

Books read in June
62) Southern Spirits by Angie Fox
63) The Skeleton in the Closet by Angie Fox
64) Murder at the Crown and Anchor by CJ Archer
65) The Haunted Heist by Angie Fox
66) Deader Homes and Gardens by Angie Fox
67) The Last Remains by Elly Griffiths

No books read in July
No books read in August

Books read in September
68) The Bone Hacker by Kathy Reichs

Books read in October
69) Coached to Death by Victoria Laurie

Books read in November
70) Moon of the Crusted Snow by Waubgeshig Rice
71) Moon of the Turning Leaves by Waubgeshig Rice

Books read in December
72) Murder in an Irish Village by Carlene O'Connor
73) Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll
74) Murder at an Irish Wedding by Carlene O'Connor

Series that I want to get caught up on this year (alphabetical as that's how LT shows it to me)

Aaron Falk series by Jane Harper - Next up Exiles (#3)
Accidental Alchemist Mysteries by Gigi Pandian - The Alchemist of Monsters and Mayhem (#7)
All Souls series by Deborah Harkness - Need to start over with A Discovery of Witches
Aunt Dimity series by Nancy Atherton - up to date
Aurora Teagarden by Charlaine Harris - Next up A Bone to Pick (#2)

Björnstad Series by Fredrik Backman - Next up The Winners (#3)
Black Dagger Brotherhood by J. R. Ward - Next up The Chosen (#15)

Caster Chronicles by Kami Garcia (I thought this series ended after 4) - Next up Dangerous Creatures (#5)
Chicagoland Vampires by Chloe Neill - Next up Hard Bitten (#4)
Cleopatra Fox by C.J. Archer - Up to date (Next June 2024)

Delightfully Deadly by Gail Carriger - Next up Defy or Defend (#2)
Dexter by Jeff Lindsay - Next up Dexter by Design )#4)
Discworld by Terry Pratchett - Next up Sourcery (#5)
The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher - Next up Death Masks (#5)
Dublin Murder Squad by Tana French - up to date

Erica Falck & Patrik Hedström by Camilla Läckberg - Next up The Stranger (#4)

Flavia de Luce by Alan Bradley (don't love and may not continue) - Next up Speaking From Among the Bones (#5)
Fred, the Vampire Accountant by Drew Hayes - Next up Undeath & Taxes (#2)
The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs - Next up Knit Two (#2)

Glass Library by CJ Archer - Next up The Untitled Books )#3)
Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan - Next up The Candy House (#2)
Green Creek by TJ Klune - Next up Brothersong (#4)

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood - Next up The Testaments
Harry Bosch by Michael Connelly - Next up Desert Star (#36)
Harry Hole by Jo Nesbø - Next up Nemesis (#4)
Hawthorne & Horowitz by Anthony Horowitz - Next up The Twist of the Knife (#4)
Haven's Rock by Kelley Armstrong - Next up The Boy Who Cried Bear (#2) (Feb 2024)
Her Royal Spyness by Rhys Bowen - Up to date

Insatiable by Meg Cabot - Next up Overbite (#2)
Irish Village by Carlene O'Connor - Next up Murder in an Irish Churchyard (#3)

Jack Reacher by Lee Child - Next up No Plan B (#27)
Joona Linna by Lars Kepler - Next up The Sandman (#4)

The Kingkiller Chronicle by Patrick Rothfuss - Next up The Doors of Stone (#3)

The Last Werewolf by Glen Duncan - Next up By Blood We Live (#3)
Life Coach by Victoria Laurie - Next up To Coach a Killer (#2)

Mercy Thompson by Patricia Briggs - Up to date Next June 2024
Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs - next up Library of Souls (#3)
Molly Murphy by Rhys Bowen - Next up City of Darkness and Light (#13)
Moonlight Bay by Dean Koontz - Next up Ride the Storm (#3)
Morganville Vampires by Rachel Caine - next up Midnight Alley (#3)

Nevermoor by Jessica Townsend - Next up Silverborn: The Mystery of Morrigan Crow (#4)
No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith - Next up The Kalahari Typing School for Men (#4)
The Nsibidi Scripts by Nnedi Okorafor - Next up Akata Woman (#3)

Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz - Next up Saint Odd (#7)
Otherworld by Kelley Armstrong - Next up Wolf's Curse (#15)
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon - Next up Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone (#9)

Psychic Eye Mystery by Victoria Laurie - Next up See No Evil (#17)

Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard - Next up Queen Song (#3)
Rip Through Time by Kelley Armstrong - Next up The Poisoner's Ring (#2)
Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch - Next up Broken Homes (#4)
Ruth Galloway by Elly Griffiths - Up to date

Sandhamn Murders by Viveca Sten - Next up Buried in Secret (#10)
Scarpetta by Patricia Cornwell - Next up Unnatural Death (#27)
Shades of Magic by V. E. Schwab - Next up A Gathering of Shadows (#2)
Shetland by Ann Cleeves - Next up White Nights (#2)
Southern Ghost Hunter Mysteries by Angie Fox - Next up Sweet Tea and Spirits (#5)
Stillhouse Lake by Rachel Caine - Next up Wolfhunter River (#3)

Temperance Brennan by Kathy Reichs - Up to date
Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman - Next up The Man Who Died Twice (#2)
Thursday Next by Jasper Fforde - Next up The Well of Lost Plots (#3)

Vera Kelly by Rosalie Knecht - Next up Vera Kelly: Lost and Found (#3)

Wayward Children by Seanan McGuire - Next up Beneath the Sugar Sky (#3)
Weather Warden by Rachel Caine - Next up Chill Factor (#3)
Wicked City by Beatriz Williams - Next up The wicked Redhead (#2)
The Wizards of Once by Cressida Cowell - Next up The Wizards of Once: Twice Magic (#2)
Women's Murder Club by James Patterson & Maxine Paetro - Next up The 17th Suspect (#17)

You by Caroline Kepnes - Next up You Love Me (#3)

Audiobooks - goal of reading one a month
January
Hush Now, Don't You Cry by Rhys Bowen
The Family Way by Rhys Bowen

February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

I have enjoyed this challenge in the past. I am going to try and attempt some of these this year in hopes of finding joy in reading again in 2024. I don't have a goal of finishing this whole challenge, just using it as a guide to finding new books. If I do finish it then awesome.



1 A book with the word "leap" in the title
2 A bildungsroman
3 A book about a 24-year-old Congo by Micheal Crichton
4 A book about a writer The Proof of the Pudding by Rhys Bowen
5 A book about K-pop
6 A book about pirates
7 A book about women's sports and/or by a woman athlete
8 A book by a blind or visually impaired author
9 A book by a deaf or hard-of-hearing author
10 A book by a self-published author
11 A book from a genre you typically avoid
12 A book from an animal's POV
13 A book originally published under a pen name
14 A book recommended by a bookseller
15 A book recommended by a librarian
16 A book set 24 years before you were born
17 A book set in a travel destination on your bucket list Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovich
18 A book set in space
19 A book set in the future
20 A book set in the snow Murder in an Irish Churchyard by Carlene O'Connor
21 A book that came out in a year that ends with "24"
22 A book that centers on video games
23 A book that features dragons
24 A book that takes place over the course of 24 hours
25 A book that was published 24 years ago
26 A book that was turned into a musical
27 A book where someone dies in the first chapter Murder at the Polo Club by CJ Archer
28 A book with a main character who's 42 years old
29 A book with a neurodivergent main character
30 A book with a one-word title you had to look up in a dictionary
31 A book with a title that is a complete sentence
32 A book with an enemies-to-lovers plot
33 A book with an unreliable narrator
34 A book with at least three POVs
35 A book with magical realism Moon Over Soho by Ben Aaronovitch
36 A book written by an incarcerated or formerly incarcerated person
37 A book written during NaNoWriMo
38 A cozy fantasy book
39 A fiction book by a trans or nonbinary author
40 A horror book by a BIPOC author
41 A memoir that explores queerness
42 A nonfiction book about Indigenous people
43 A second-chance romance
44 An autobiography by a woman in rock 'n' roll
45 An LGBTQ+ romance novel

Advanced Prompts
46 A book in which a character sleeps for more than 24 hours
47 A book with 24 letters in the title
48 A collection of at least 24 poems
49 The 24th book of an author
50 A book that starts with the letter "X"

Completed
1: 17 A book set in a travel destination on your bucket list - Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovich (Jan 2)
2: 27 A book where someone dies in the first chapter - Murder at the Polo Club by CJ Archer (Jan 4)
4: A book about a writer - The Proof of the Pudding by Rhys Bowen (Jan 6)
20 A book set in the snow - Murder in an Irish Churchyard by Carlene O'Connor (Jan 18)

3 A book about a 24-year-old - Congo by Micheal Crichton (Feb 3)
35 A book with magical realism - Moon Over Soho by Ben Aaronovitch (Feb 7)

Ideas for each prompt
1 - Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith
- Leap Year by Helen Russell


2 - The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
- The Saturday Night Ghost Club by Craig Davidson
- Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
- The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow

4 - London Fields by Martins Amis
- Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
* - Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson
- The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz

5 - Gorgeous Gruesome Faces by Linda Cheng
- Somewhere Only We Know by Maurene Goo

6 - A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab
- All the Stars and Teeth by Adalyn Grace
- Running Close to the Wind by Alexandra Rowland
- The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels by India Holton

Hi Chelle. I am so sorry your family has had such a rough year and then to start off the new year with Covid is a double whammy.

On the bright side that is good news about your husband‘s promotion. I hope good things continue for you once you get past this Covid outbreak. Thank you for sharing that wonderful display of the books you read in 2023. Here’s hoping the new year is a good reading year for you. XO

Happy new year, Chelle! I hope 2024 is gentler for you and your family.

Much, much better 2024 for all the Bearss homestead! *smooch*

>1 ChelleBearss: Congratulations on Nate being promoted to detective! I hope that 2024 proves to be much better for you than last year was!

Happy new year, Chelle. I hope 2024 is good to you and yours.

I'm sorry July and August were so tough for you...reading has to take a back seat sometimes doesn't it? Here's to a better 2024!

Welcome back, Chelle! Congrats to Nate!

Happy New Year to you, Chelle. Like you, I've struggled to keep up. I hope 2024 is a better year for you. 74 books is amazing with everything you had going on.

Happy New Year, Chelle. I hope you have much better 2024 and we hope to see you around more often. Fingers crossed. Hugs, my friend.

And Happy New Year! May it be better and happier than 23. : )

Hi Chelle! I hope 2024 is a better year!!! And congrats to Nate on the promotion!!

Happy New Year, Chelle! May 2024 be a better year , and congrats on Nate's promotion!

Congrats on hubby's promo, drats to Covid! May 2024 be a good reading year!

Hi Chelle! Happy New Year 2024. I hope this year is a better one for you and your family.

Congrats on Nate’s promotion. Sorry about getting Covid.

Book funks are so stressful, and I hope you can find one or two good ones soon to jump start your reading. From my best of 2023 I recommend Lessons in Chemistry if you haven’t already read it.

>44 msf59: Happy reading in 2024, Chelle!

May this year turn out much better for you and your family.

Happy New Year, Chelle! Get well soon!!

Lovely to see you back Chelle.

Happy new year to you and that lovely family of yours.

Happy New Year!

Slowly we are getting back to health. I am functional today, although it still feels like a small animal is sitting on my chest. Nate is functional in between coughs and is working from home today.

>7 Donna828: Hi Donna! Thanks for stopping by!

>8 katiekrug: Thanks! I don't know that I can deal with another year like last year

>9 richardderus: Smooches! Hope you're doing well

>10 alcottacre: Thanks! He worked had to get that promotion and it was one of the bright spots in a dismal year

>11 BLBera: Thank you! Thanks for visiting :)

>12 LovingLit: Funny enough, July & August were just busy, hence the no reading. And I was studying for a job application and all my brain power was used up. My brain is slowly coming back to being interested in reading. I had to delete TikTok too.

>13 drneutron: Thank you! :)

>14 AMQS: I read a lot at the beginning of last year or else I would have had a lot lower numbers. There was not much reading done after June

>15 msf59: I would like to try and get back into some of my old habits that served me better. I miss LT and all of you.

>16 Berly: Happy New Year! Hope you have a great year

>17 EBT1002: Thanks! Hope you are enjoying retirement

>18 vancouverdeb: Happy New Year, Deb!

>19 Tess_W: Thank you! And thanks for visiting

>20 karenmarie: Thanks! I'll add that to my idea pile! :)

>21 FAMeulstee: Thank you! Hope 2024 is kind to you as well

>22 norabelle414: Thank you! Thankfully I am starting to feel human again.

>23 PaulCranswick: Thank you! I am going to try and make an effort to be back more often
Enjoy 2024 and lots of snuggles with your grand babe

Here's to a much better 2024!! I've missed hearing about your and your lovely family in 2023 so I'm glad to have found and starred your 2024 thread.

Happy New Year, Chelle!

>31 Carmenere: Happy New Year, Lynda!

First book down, 74 more to go :)

1) Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch
2024 Pop Sugar Challenge:17 A book set in a travel destination on your bucket list

Happy New Year, Chelle! I love the Rivers of London series, so a good start there.

>33 ronincats: Thanks Roni!
I had a hard time getting into it, but I did like it in the end. I'll probably continue with the series, but my library has a huge hold list for the next few books.


2) Murder at the Polo Club by CJ Archer
2024 Pop Sugar Challenge:27 A book where someone dies in the first chapter

Happy to see you back again this year, Chelle, and hoping you and Nate are feeling more like yourselves after the spicy cough.

Happy Saturday, folks!

Busy weekend here with four trips to the arena for ringette, two for each kid, and then lots of cleaning as I got really behind while I was sick. I also need to spend a chunk of the weekend studying for a job interview I have in a few weeks for an administrative spot at my work.

>35 MickyFine: Thanks, Micky! I still have the congestion feeling of a small animal sitting on my chest, which I've been told can last a while after covid. Otherwise we are pretty much back to health and thankfully the kids didn't catch it!

My last Book of the Month club order. I decided to cancel it and save the money this year as I found I didn't love a lot of the book options last year. I ended up skipping more months than ordering, and I haven't finished any of the ones I actually ordered. I was happy with these two as I have read and loved both authors. I may take one on vacation with me.

>32 ChelleBearss: That is a series that I need to return to. Thanks for the reminder!

>34 ChelleBearss: CJ Archer is on my 'need to read' list, but my local library is not doing me any favors that.

>37 ChelleBearss: Nice!

Have a wonderful, healing weekend, Chelle!

🎧3) Hush Now, Don't You Cry by Rhys Bowen


4) The Proof of the Pudding by Rhys Bowen
2024 Pop Sugar Challenge:4 A book about a writer

Chelle, I am so sorry you had such a tough year in 2023. I sincerely hope this year will be a lot better for you. All good wishes for a happy and healthy 2024.

Found you and have you starred so I don't loose the thread. Hope 2024 is a better one for you.

I wish you a happier year ahead, Chelle. You are off to a good start to your reading. I have read some of Rhys Bowen's books and enjoyed them, and passed them along to my mom. She really enjoyed them too.

>39 ChelleBearss: I've read Her Royal Spyness by Rhys Bowen, but that's about it. I liked it, so I guess I should look for some more! : )

Happy Wednesday, Chelle. I remember having a good time with those Rivers of London books. Fun stuff. I hope the week is going well.

Hi Chelle my dear, a belated Happy New Year and i will be visiting throughout 2024. Hope all is well with you, Nate, Chloe and Elissa, sending love and hugs from both of us dear friend.

>43 Berly: I loved the entire "spyness" series -- light, fun, escapist reading :)

Happy Thursday, friends!

I have an appointment today so I took the day off work. So I am enjoying my tea and some LT while I watch the snow come down. It think this is our first real snowfall of the season that is actually accumulating. We've had a bit of snow before now, but it has always turned to rain and washed away before the kids got to play. We've got a couple inches now and it's still coming down hard. The kids were so excited and played in the snow before school. A neighbour's kids came over and shovelled our laneway before I woke up, so that was a pleasant surprise!

>38 alcottacre: My library didn't have the CJ Archer books either. I ended up signing up for the Kobo Plus account because they were free under that. Perhaps the Kindle membership would have them included?

>40 Whisper1: Thank you! Despite the Covid this year is proving to be better already, although it's still early!

>41 figsfromthistle: Welcome, glad to have you! Have I found you yet? I must go check, I lose track so easily!

>42 vancouverdeb: I love the Rhys Bowen books on audio as I enjoyed the narrator for both series, and they are light enough that if I lose focus for a moment I don't totally lose track of what's going on. I can't listen to series novels on audio as I find I lose focus too easily

>43 Berly: I really enjoyed Her Royal Spyness and kept going with that series before branching out to her Molly Murphy books too.

>44 msf59: I think I may take the second book Moon over Soho on vacation with us in a couple weeks. I need a few good books on Kobo and my library currently has it available. Hopefully it's still available next week when I started stocking up!

>45 johnsimpson: Welcome, John! Hope you and Karen are well

>46 RebaRelishesReading: It was a fun little series, eh! I find that the Veronica Speedwell books are like that as well, although a little less comfy.

I'm jealous of your snow, Chelle. Enjoy!

>50 katiekrug: It's really wet and heavy snow, so despite the fact that it's been snowing all day it has really compacted and looks like less
I drove by the school and there must be 50 snowmen on the yard, so at least the kids are enjoying the snow!

🎧5) The Family Way by Rhys Bowen

>46 RebaRelishesReading: >48 ChelleBearss: I could use some light reading, so I've added Her Royal Spyness to my list of series to continue! Thanks. : )

Hi Chelle.

>34 ChelleBearss: Love the category – A book where someone dies in the first chapter.

>47 ChelleBearss: Tea, LT, and snow. All very good things.

Happy Friday!

I am sitting with LT and a coffee before our big weekend plans start. Chloe is in a ringette tournament in Kitchener Waterloo this weekend. It's about an hour away from home and we were planning on coming home each night, but we have a winter snowstorm warning now and are debating getting a hotel. I think it will end up being a last minute decision after her last game tonight.

I started to read a book last night and realized that I had already read it but hadn't tracked it. I checked my library history and apparently I read it in August of last year and forgot to mark it down.
75) A Sinister Revenge by Deanna Raybourne

>53 Berly: Hope you love it! I like them on audio, but print format is lovely too

>54 karenmarie: It was nice to relax and watch the snow. We haven't had much this year

Happy Friday, Chelle. We are in the midst of a snowstorm, so we will be hunkered down for the weekend. Have a nice time in Waterloo.

>55 ChelleBearss: Sorry to be so uninformed, but, what is a "ringette tournament"?

Well the storm hit big and we got storm stayed in Waterloo. Thankfully we were able to get a last minute hotel room and are hunkered down for the night with take out and TV.

>56 msf59: hope you’re toasty warm inside and safe from the storm
A beer and a book, perhaps?

>57 RebaRelishesReading: Ringette is a sport, similar to hockey. It’s played in an arena like hockey, but instead of pucks they use a big blue ring. And the sticks don’t have a blade like hockey sticks.

https://www.ringette.ca/our-sport/what-is-ringette/

Have fun at the tournament and at the hotel. We are about to get 10-12 inched tonight and tomorrow. Also hunkering down. :)

Off to watch the ringette link...

Hope the roads clear up for you to get back home, Chelle!

>58 ChelleBearss: Thank you Chelle! Because of you I've learned a thing :)

Happy Sunday, folks
Hunkering down for a relaxing day here. Chloe's team was eliminated from the tournament and they ended fifth of eight. She is sad this morning, but we are quite happy to be back in our beds last night and sleeping in today. Staying in my PJ's as long as possible today.
I need to do some cleaning, meal planning, and groceries. I think I will do a delivery grocery order because we don't need much produce and it's cold and snowing outside and I just don't want to leave the house.

>59 Berly: Ouch. Hope you didn't end up with that much snow! We got snow, but not that much. We have really high winds and cold temps though, which is making being outside quite gross. The drive home last night was yucky as the highway was covering in snow blowing from the fields and the plows couldn't keep up.

>60 MickyFine: Thanks, Micky! We made it home okay and stopped for a sushi treat to take home!

>61 RebaRelishesReading: Hey, no worries! Glad to help. I forget sometimes that ringette is a fairly new sport that not everyone knows about. It is played world wide now and I got curious and checked and saw there is a Team USA ringette team.

>55 ChelleBearss: >57 RebaRelishesReading: I was about to ask the same question - never heard of ringette before. But then there aren't many ice rinks nearby!

Hi Chelle! Sorry to read your 2023 was a hard year on you and your family. Here is hoping for a brighter (and healthy with no more illnesses) 2024. Congratulations on your husband's promotion!

>58 ChelleBearss: - Glad to see you were able to get a place to 'ride out' the storm and you are safely back home! Sorry to read Chloe's team was eliminated. Better luck next tournie!

>63 SandDune: It's quite big in the town that I live in, but I didn't know it existed while growing up in the city nearby. Not all towns and cities here have ringette leagues

>64 lkernagh: Thanks! The kids loved the hotel room, they only had a king room left with a pull out couch and a giant jacuzzi tub in the middle of the room lol. They had a big jet bath and loved it

It looks like Rhys Brown is starting your new year off with some fun reads, Chelle.

Thanks for your explanation of how Ringette is played. It sounds a bit gentler than hockey which is good for the younger players. Sorry that Chloe's team was eliminated from the tourney, but the upside is you are home and sleeping in your own beds, although the jacuzzi sounded like fun.

6) Murder in an Irish Churchyard by Carlene O'Connor
2024 Pop Sugar Challenge:20 A book set in the snow

I enjoy the O'Connor series, Chelle. I've listened to the first two on audio.

Hope you have a great weekend!

>66 Donna828: It is much gentler, and totally no contact! Chloe loves that in ringette the goalie crease is a no-go zone for any player but her.

>68 katiekrug: I am enjoying it so far and I am debating starting the fourth one tonight, or switching up to something magical. Yet to be decided...

That overnight at the hotel sounds like fun...and more comfortable than a camping night :)

Sorry Chloe didn't make it further in the tournament, but glad the hotel was fun. Turns out we didn't get much snow, but LOTS of wind and ice. Lost power for over 5 days. Brrrr! Back to warmer temps and rain. Yay?!?

>70 RebaRelishesReading: ha yes, I’ll take a hotel over sleeping on the ground any day!

>71 Berly: oh yuck! Five days without power would be chilly! Do you have a generator or fireplace?
Glad you’ve got it back now!

Good morning from sunny Punta Cana!
Yesterday was our travel day and the kids did great! It was rainy when we arrived though so not much swimming. The seas were rough and very pretty.
Today is expected to be hot and sunny!

Enjoy all that sunshine, Chelle!

>72 ChelleBearss: Gas fireplace and stove--thank goodness!! Wouldn't have made it without them.

Enjoy the sun and don't forget the suntan lotion!! : )

Hello friends. We are home, finally! Our flight on Wednesday was cancelled because the A/C in the cabin didn't work. So they put us up at a different resort for the night. Finally on Thursday we got to head home. I'm hoping Air Canada will cough up some compensation for making us behind a day, but who knows.

Overall it was a great trip! The kids travelled well and had a blast with their friends. It was very nice travelling with another family. (and I actually got a bunch of reading done too!)

>73 MickyFine: Thanks! The sun was wonderful!

>74 Berly: Glad you stayed warm enough!
We did have one day where we did not lotion enough and were quite red. We all came home slightly tanned!

7) The Pram by Joe Hill


8) The Alchemist of Monsters and Mayhem by Gigi Pandian


9) Come With Me by Ronald Malfi


10) Death in the Park by London Lovett

Glad you had a good trip, Chelle, despite the delay in getting home!

That is a lot of reading, LOL.

>75 ChelleBearss: Sounds like a successful trip...even though there was a hiccup. Glad you're safely home now though.

Glad you made it home safely, Chelle, and happy to hear the kiddos were good travelers. Hopefully the temperature swing wasn't too much of a shock when you came back. :)

Happy Sunday, friends
Lazy morning here before heading to a ringette game at noon. Trying to get back into the swing of life and dreading going back to work tomorrow. Two weeks of vacation wasn't enough.

>77 katiekrug: One good thing about travelling with kids that go to bed between 8-9pm is extra reading time for me after they are asleep!

>78 RebaRelishesReading: Thanks! Minor hiccup and thankfully the kids did ok with the delay!

>79 MickyFine: The temps here were a mild +1c when we arrived home so it wasn't too bad. Nate even rode home in his shirt and sandals instead of changing at the airport lol

11) Congo by Micheal Crichton
2024 Pop Sugar Challenge:3 A book about a 24-year-old

That book sounds interesting.

>81 ChelleBearss: I had no memory whatever of anyone in that story being 24. Of course, there is the little matter of forty years of reading since it first entered by mind....

Welcome home! *smooch*

How on earth do you search for a book about a 24 year old? I wouldn't know where to begin. Congo wasn't my favorite of Crichton's. I loved Sphere and Jurassic Park when I was a teen.

>82 Owltherian: it was decent. I think I enjoyed his Micro a little more, but it was a decent plane ride read.

>83 richardderus: forty years will do that to a memory lol. The main female character Dr Ross was 24.

>84 The_Hibernator: Thankfully I stumbled across the age in that one while reading it. I don’t know how else I could have planned that one other than suggestions on good reads
I enjoyed Jurassic Park as well!

12) Moon Over Soho by Ben Aaronovitch
2024 Pop Sugar Challenge:35 A book with magical realism

Happy Thursday, folks

Today is my second day at home with a sick kid. Elissa managed to bring Hand, Foot and Mouth disease home from school. (It's been circulating since before Christmas and I thought we had avoided it!)
She's got many spots and is a little feverish and grumpy. Lots of cuddles and relaxing on the couch today for us.

>87 ChelleBearss: Yuck and boohiss/i> all over the poor lamb having this dreadful-sounding contagion. May it pass in record time.

>87 ChelleBearss: Sorry for Elissa and you, Chelle. I hope she recovers soon.

>87 ChelleBearss: Oh, poor baby (and poor Mommy too actually). Hope she feels better soon.

So glad you are back, Chelle! I'm sorry you had such a rough year last year, and sorry you had covid in January. Congratulations on Nate's promotion! It looks like you are finding lots to read so far. I used to read some from books from the Rhys Bowen her Royal Spyness series, but I have not done so lately . Happy reading!

Happy Friday, Chelle. I hope Elissa is doing better. It sounds like you have your hands full. Glad you had a good time on your trip. A perfect winter getaway.

13) Whispers Under Ground by Ben Aaronovitch

14) Broken Homes by Ben Aaronovitch

Hope the Foot and Mouth disease has left the building and that everyone is healthy again!! Happy Friday!

>87 ChelleBearss: Hope Elissa is fully recovered, Chelle.

What do you think of the Aaronovitch books? Despite the love for them in the group, they didn't really grab me as much as I thought they would.

Have a great weekend.

Happy Monday, friends! It's a stat holiday here and I'm just hanging out with my girls as Nate had to work.

We are all healthy again, thankfully! We spend the weekend in Paris, Ontario (about an hour from home) as Chloe was in yet another ringette tournament. She had a disappointing loss to a superb team but they walked away with a silver medal. They were happy about their medal and they played really hard, but they just couldn't clinch that gold. They have another chance in two weeks when we have to spend the weekend in Niagara Falls for another tournament!

>88 richardderus: Thanks! It was a sold week of sickness but thankfully only Elissa caught it!

>89 FAMeulstee: Thank you! I was worried I was going to come down with it that weekend as I was starting a new job contract on the Monday and wouldn't be able to miss work, but thankfully I escaped it!

>90 RebaRelishesReading: Thanks! I was very thankfully that it passed within the week and she didn't manage to infect anyone else!

>91 vancouverdeb: Thanks for visiting! Lots happened here last year to keep me away but I am trying harder to visit more this year!

>92 msf59: Elissa is pretty much always a hand full, in sickness or health lol

>95 Berly: Thanks! Health has returned to us

>96 PaulCranswick: I struggled with focus on the first book, but everyone raved about them so I gave book two a chance. I gobbled up a few more and now I am on book five and struggling to get into it. I think it's less the book's problem, and more that my week this week was just too busy and now I'm tired.

I also like Rhys Bowen when I need something lighter and fun. Taking a BB for the Carlene O'Conner book. Glad you had a nice time on vacation.

Trust you have had a great weekend, Chelle.

Hi! Hope all is well. : )

drive-by *smooch*

Hi friends
Sorry i've been awol. I got a new job, yay! And I've been training and my brain has been fried most nights. I finally finished a book after almost a month of not reading anything. I will try and visit everyone's threads this weekend.
Hoppy Easter!!


15) Ankle Snatcher by Grady Hendrix


16) The Fury by Alex Michaelides

Congrats on the new job!! (What is it?) : )

>103 ChelleBearss: Crongratulations on the new job, Chelle. I hope it won't take all your time ;-)
I am catching up with the threads after a week away...

Congrats on the new job, Chelle!

New-gig happiness wishes, Chelle!

Congrats! I hope the new job is a good one.

Congrats on the new job my dear.

Thanks all! Ringette season ended today so I am hoping to have more time to have a life soon!

The new job is still with the police agency I am with, but instead of dispatch I've moved into a detachment admin role. Lots of court services work and monday to friday dayshift :)

Congrats on your new job, Chelle!

>111 norabelle414: Thanks :)


17) It Waits in the Woods by Josh Malerman


18) Cupcakes, Trinkets, and Other Deadly Magic by Meghan Ciana Doidge


19) Trinkets, Treasures, and Other Bloody Magic by Meghan Ciana Doidge

>110 ChelleBearss: Congrats on the new position! Day shift and weekends off will certainly be nice.

20) Treasures, Demons, and Other Black Magic by Meghan Ciana Doidge

>103 ChelleBearss: Congrats on the new job and it looks like reading is back to "normal"?!

The new job sounds very interesting, Chelle.

Three cheers for all those dedicated people in law enforcement who keep our cities, towns and villages a safer place to be.

Oh, I'm delighted you'll have a consistent schedule, Chelle. That's a huge boon!

21) I See Me by Meghan Ciana Doidge


22) Shadows, Maps, and Other Ancient Magic by Meghan Ciana Doidge


23) Maps, Artifacts, and Other Arcane Magic by Meghan Ciana Doidge


24) I See You by by Meghan Ciana Doidge

Hope the new job is going well. Looks like it gives you time to read :)

25) Artifacts, Dragons, and Other Lethal Magic by Meghan Ciana Doidge


26) I See Us by Meghan Ciana Doidge


27) Catching Echos by Meghan Ciana Doidge


28) Tangled Echoes by Meghan Ciana Doidge


29) Unleashing Echoes by Meghan Ciana Doidge

>110 ChelleBearss: How is the new job going? Sounds like the schedule is better! And it looks like you've found a new favorite author!