2019 - Down the River Unto the Sea, Walter Mosley, 336 pages
Former NYPD cop wrongly accused of a crime investigates a murder ten years later as a private investigator.
2019 - Down the River Unto the Sea, Walter Mosley, 336 pages
Former NYPD cop wrongly accused of a crime investigates a murder ten years later as a private investigator.
2019 - Down the River Unto the Sea, Walter Mosley, 336 pages
Former NYPD cop wrongly accused of a crime investigates a murder ten years later as a private investigator.
Follow me

Challenge Tracking - 2023
(updated 5/30/23)
Welcome to my Reading Challenge Tracking page. You can check back here at your convenience to see how I'm doing and what books I've read. If you've joined any of the same challenges, I imagine I'll see you on the Linky pages.
My challenge philosophy is simple. I join them to motivate me, introduce me to new genres and authors, and broaden my horizons. I endeavor to complete them, but if I don't, it's no big deal - next year is a new year. The trick to managing multiple challenges, for me, is to choose books that satisfy more than one challenge. So you're likely to see books show up in more than one challenge result. :) As much as possible I tried to choose books I already own OR that are on my massive TBR list!
Here are the 13 challenges I joined for 2023 listed alphabetically by name of the challenge. I've included links to the sign up page in case you want more info or to join in. Click on any book cover image to go to the review.

Hosted by Susan at Bloggin 'bout Books - it's a newly created challenge this year.
Read books in any format and any sort of bookish connection to qualify as a "book about books", whether writing them, eating them, sniffing them, decorating with them, etc. It's all fair game. There are a few levels and I chose the easiest this time: Toe in the Door 1-10 books
BOOKS I'M CONSIDERING:
Black Out Book Club
Book Charmer
Book Eaters
Bookseller at the End of the World
Dear Farenheit 451
Dictionary of Lost Words
Littlest Library
Parnassus on Wheels
Summer at Robber's Library
The Bookshop of Yesterdays
The Personal Librarian
The Writing Retreat

Hosted by Carol at Carol's Notebook -
Read books in the mystery/suspense/thriller/crime genre. Monthly linkup to share your progress and reviews. I read a lot of mysteries so will add them here when I've completed them.
I chose the Special Agent level o f 36-55 books. Click the book cover image to go to review.



botswana

Hosted by Berls & Michelle at Because Reading - celebrating 10 years of this challenge
They've divided the year into three chapters of four months each, each with a different challenge format. Join for one semester or all of them - be sure to add your reviews to the linky and join the fun. In the first semester, every book counts, every format and length, basically anything you read. I'm guessing I'll read 45-50 in the first semester. Click book cover image to go to review.
CHAPTER ONE (track total books read Jan-Apr)


CHAPTER TWO (points collected by type of book read May-Aug)




Hosted by Rose City Reading
Read any genre of book set in a European country or written by a European author. A list of the 50 recognized countries of Europe is on the sign up page. You can participate by reading as little as 1-5 books. I arbitrarily picked 10 books.
Click book cover image to go to review.
BOOKS I'M CONSIDERING:
Cold as Hell - Iceland
Eighteen Below - Sweden
I Must Betray You - Romania
The Camino de Santiago - Spain
The Keeper of Lost Causes - Denmark
Venice Sketchbook - Italy


Hosted by Marg at The Intrepid Reader
Any sub-genre of Historical Fiction counts: Historical romance, mystery, fantasy, YA, etc. Choose a level and then remember to use the monthly linky to connect with other reviewers.
I picked Medieval - 15 books
Click book cover image to go to review.

Hosted by Anne at Books of My Heart - This is the seventh year for this fun challenge.
This super easy challenge is meant to encourage you to use your library (which I do, extensively). Pick a level and track how many library books you read. Any format, any genre. Easy, peasy. As usual, there is monthly Linky to share your reviews. My level: Library Card on Fire: 60+ books and I'm aiming for 70
Click book cover image to go to review.




Hosted by Lori at Dollycas - This is the seventh year for this fun challenge.
Read a book set in each state and DC (51 books). If the book has multiple states, choose the one where most of the book is set. Any books set outside the US are a "bonus" point. How many points will I end up with at the end of the year? Use and interactive Google Map (mymap feature), or just a list of states. One book per state!
Click book cover image to go to review.
Virginia Minnesota New York California Massachusetts Connecticut Arizona N Dakota Georgia Colorado

Washington Tennessee Nebraska

Hosted by My Reader's Block
This one of a couple TBR challenges I joined. This one targets already OWNED books on your shelf or Kindle before 2023. I made the personal decision not to include ARC's. (no library books - you need to own the book)
I'm choosing the lowest mountain: Pike's Peak - 12 books
Click book cover image to go to review.


Hosted by My Reader's Block
This one of a couple TBR challenges I joined. This "virtual" challenge targets books on your wish list, your ever-growing TBR. Library books, loaned books, anything to reduce your wish list. My personal caveat is that it has to have been on my list over a year, not something added a couple months ago!
I'm choosing Mt. Crumpit - 24 books
Click book cover image to go to review.


Hosted by Shelleyrae at Book'd Out
Read any nonfiction book, any format. You can choose to participate by a level quantity or with the twelve prompts. I'm choosing the level of Nibbler - 6 books
Click book cover image to go to review.
BOOKS I'M CONSIDERING:
Aroha
Bookseller at the End of the World
Braving It
Dead Wake
Don't Eat the Puffin
Reading With Patrick
Sapiens
Secret Life of Color
Solito
The Camino de Santiago
Tisha: A Young Teacher in Alaska
With Malice Toward None
Popsugar
2023
A long-running challenge, Popsugar and Read Harder are the two challenges that often are the hardest for me. There are 40 prompts and 10 bonus prompts to encourage broader reading.Goodreads and Popsugar both have groups that offer suggestions for each of the prompts if you need some help (I almost always do).
POPSUGAR prompts & books I'm considering:
1- book meant to read in 2022: The Venice Sketchbook by Rhys Bowen
2 - bought from an independent bookstore:
3 - about a vacation: The Vacation by T. M. Logan
4 - by a first time author (debut): The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz
5 - book with mythical creatures: Hexed by Kevin Hearne
6 - about forbidden romance: Cantoras by Carolina de Robertis
7 - with 'girl' in the title: Girl Beneath the Sea by Andrew Mayne
8 - celebrity memoir: Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes
9 - color in the title: Red Queen by Juan Gomez-Juardo (ARC)
10 - romance with a 'fat' lead:
11 - set in Hollywood: The Devil You Know by P.J. Tracy (ARC)
12 - published spring 2023: To Shape A Dragon's Breath by Moniquill Blackgoose (ARC)
13 - published year I was born (1952): Excellent Women by Barbara Pym
14 - modern retelling of a classic: The Winter Knight by Jes Battis (ARC) Arthurian
15 - song lyric as title: Take My Hand by Dolan Perkins-Valdez
16 - main character's name is in title: The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch
17 - with a love triangle: The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks
18 - banned or challenged in any state in 2022: Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Thurston
19 - use prompt from previous year: cover with heart/diamond/spade/clubs: The Paper Magician by Charlie Holmberg
20 - becoming movie or TV show in 2023: The Power by Naomi Alderman
21 - set in decade I was born (1950s): The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles
22 - with queer lead:
23 - book with a map: The World We Make by N.K. Jemisin
24 - with a rabbit on the cover: Hell Bent by Leigh Bardugo
25 - with only text on the cover: The Book of Form and Emptiness by Ruth Ozeki
26 - shortest book (page count) on my TBR: Parnassus on Wheels by Christopher Morley (107)
27 - #booktok recommendation: This Time Tomorrow by Elizabeth Straub
28 - bought second hand: Gray Mountain by John Grisham
29 - recommended by a friend:
30 - on a celebrity book club list: Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver (Oprah list)
31 - about a family: LaRose by Louise Erdrich
32 - comes out second half of 2023: Fragile Threads of Power by V.E. Schwab
33 - about an athlete or sport: The Winners by Fredrik Backman
34 - historical fiction: Weyward by Emilia Hart (ARC)
35 - about divorce: Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell
36 - book I think my best friend would like:
37 - should have read in high school: Romeo & Juliet or The Outsiders by Hinton
38 - read more than 10 years ago: Cujo by Stephen King
39 - book I wish I could read again for the first time:
40 - by author with my initials (TP): Doors of Sleep by Tim Pratt
Storygraph Mystery
& Thrillers
Another prompt focused challenge, this one is sponsored by Storygraph (the book review site) and I love the way participation and success is tracked on their site! Only 26 prompts that all relate to mysteries/thrillers.
STORYGRAPH MYSTERY prompts & books I'm considering:
1- by a popular author I haven't read: Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
2 - best selling book: Finlay Donovan is Killing It by Elle Cosimano
3 - new to me author: Legacy of Lies by Robert Bailey
4 - favorite author: A World of Curiosities by Louise Penny
5 - first book in a series: Iron Lake by William Krueger
6 - book with bad reviews: The Lola Quartet by Emily St John Mandel (3.52, lowest on my TBR)
7 - highly rated book: A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson (4.35)
8 - paranormal mystery: Devil's Night by A.N. Willis
9 - historical mystery: The Witch of Tin Mountain by Paulette Kennedy
10 - novella:
11 - over 400 pages: Purgatory Ridge by William Kent Krueger (428 pages)
12 - ending that surprised: The It Girl by Ruth Ware
13 - domestic thriller: The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks
14 - female villain: Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney
15 - involves travel: Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn
16 - set in a different country: The Hearts of All on Fire by Alana White (Italy)
17 - season is important to the plot:
18 - seen on #booktok, instagram, or facebook:
19 - has a cult following: Fool Moon by Jim Butcher (Dresden Files)
20 - dual timeline:
21 - should be made into a TV movie: The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell
22 - out of my comfort zone: The Brink by Holden Sheppard
23 - involves true crime podcast (real or fiction): Beneath Devi's Bridge by Loreth Anne White
24 - author not from USA, UK, Australia or Canada: Thirteen Hours by Deon Meyer (South Africa)
25 - horror: Home Before Dark by Riley Sager
26 - has a plant on the cover: The Devil You Know by P.J. Tracy

Hosted by Jen at Introverted Reader
Read any book in translation, any format, any genre. You can choose to participate by a level quantity or using the twelve prompts. I'm optimistically choosing the level of Bilingual - 7-9 books
Click book cover image to go to review.
BOOKS I'M CONSIDERING:
Cold as Hell (Icelandic)
Eighteen Below (Swedish)
Fish Swimming in Dappled Sunlight by Riku Onda translated by Alison Watts (Japanese)
Red Queen (Spanish)
The Keeper of Lost Causes (Danish)
Thirteen Hours (Africaans)