A Million More Pages - Hogwarts: Backpacking Around The Globe: Finished

Backpacking Around The Globe hosted by A Million More Pages on Goodreads.

ANother challenge that was part of Hogwarts. It is possible to continue this but I have decided to end this with 2015 over. It has been fun but also sometimes difficult to match books to the tasks.

It is basically the same as Amazing Race but just alone and no race. We go to locations and do the tasks required and then continue.
My Goodreads thread is HERE and that's where I will be recording everything. In this blog I will add a list of books by month.

Information About Points for Backpackers

As of right now, it is just .25 per book read for the tasks. We are still discussing how we want to handle FF words and points for them, if any.

So, points breakdown:
Round One:
State: Book read = .25
Country: Book read = .25
Transportation: Book read = .25
Detour (Choose ONE): Book read = .25

After Round One, there will no longer be a state location, only country.

Backpackers can skip any task they want, they can do them in any order they want.

Sample Post for claiming Points

List of books May: (start 3rd of May)

1. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling
2. The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
3. Take Three Birds by Jilli Lime-Holt
4. Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
5. Avram Thief of Catland by James Bjorkman Round 2
6. Wind, Sand And Stars by Antoine de Saint-Exupery
7. The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot
8. The Synchronicity War Part 1 by Dietmar Wehr
9. A New Witch in Town (Not to Mention the Cat) by Dani Corlee 
10. Getaway by Rosemarie Naramore 
11. Kelly's Koffee Shop by Dianne Harman 
12. Dog Day Wedding by Rich Amooi
13. Champagne Chic Lemonade Money by De-ann Black
14. The Return by A.L. Parks
15. Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen
16. The Magicians by Lev Grossman  
17. Seven Viking Romances by Hermann Pálsson
18. The Cold King by Amber Jaeger
19. Flypaper by C.K. Vile
20. Burial Rites by Hannah Kent
21. Returning Pride by Jill Sanders
22. Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys

 List of books June:

1. The Bridesmaid Blues by Tracey Sinclair  
2. First Frost by Liz DeJesus 
3. The Oatmeal Stories by Robert R. Stevens 
4. Never Cry Wolf by Farley Mowat  
5. Legend by David Gemmell 
6. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling 
7. Summer at Sea by Beth Labonte
8. The Beemaster’s Cottage by De-ann Black 
9. Marked by Elisabeth Naughton 
10. Captured In Ink by Donna McDonald
11. The Whale Rider by Witi Ihimaera 
12. Brotherhood of the Fin: A Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer's Story by Gerald R. Hoover
13. Murder at Jade Cove by Dianne Harman
14. The Vintage Sewing and Knitting Bee by De-ann Black
15. All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot 
16. The Bakery By The Seaside by De-ann Black 
17. Believe by Celia Juliano
18. Agent with a History by Guy Stanton III
19. Viking Fire by Andrea R. Cooper
20. Mordet på Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie
21. Young Lord of Khadora by Richard S. Tuttle
22. Anomaly by K.C. King
23. The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton
24. A Stitch in Time by Amanda James
25. First Frost by Sarah Addison Allen

  List of books July:

1. Fire And Ice by Dana Stabenow 
2. Born in Ice by Nora Roberts
3. Down and Out in Beverly Heels by Kathryn Leigh Scott 
4. The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton
5. First Year by J. P. Howards 
6. Scent of Magic by Maria V. Snyder 
7. Into the Deep End by Leesa Freeman
8. The Cornish Affair by Laura Lockington 
9. Fearless by Cornelia Funke
10. Eragon by Christopher Paolini 
11. The Young Pitcher by Zane Grey 
12. The Blood of Olympus by Rick Riordan 
13. Geoducks Are for Lovers by Daisy Prescott 

 List of books August:

1. City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
2. The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski
3. The Alloy of Law by Brandon Sanderson
4. The Mad Ship by Robin Hobb
5. The Grimm Legacy by Polly Shulman
6. Country Heaven by Ava Miles
7. Evidence of Trust by Stacey Joy Netzel
8. Taste of Darkness by Maria V. Snyder
9. The St. Valentine's Day Cookie Massacre by Elisabeth Crabtree 

  List of books September:

1. Born in Shame by Nora Roberts
2. The Diving Pool: Three Novellas by Yoko Ogawa
3. A Cottage by the Sea by Carole Matthews 
4. Divorced, Desperate and Delicious by Christie Craig
5. Fire Country by David Estes
6. Rasmus - Tales of a Utah Cowboy by Jay Anderson and Beth M. Stephenson
7. The Iron Traitor by Julie Kagawa
8. Fire at Twilight by Lila Ashe
9. Elantris by Brandon Sanderson
10. Iced Under by Nadine Doolittle
11. Touch of the Goddess by Maria Hammarblad
12. Ship of Destiny by Robin Hobb
13. A Hidden Fire by Elizabeth Hunter
14. Bound by C.K. Bryant 
15. Lady Falls by Renee Bernard 
16. The Wild by Christopher Golden

List of books October:

1. Don't Waste a Minute - A Story of Africa by Marilyn Randall
2. Poisoned by Elaine Macko
3. We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson
4. Carved in Stone by Donna McDonald  
5. A man called Ove by Fredrik Backman
6. The Menagerie by Tui T. Sutherland and Kari Sutherland 
7. What Once Was Perfect by Zoe York

 List of books November:

1. Christmas at Carol's by Nicola Yeager
2. I Need a Hero by Emma Bennet
3. The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater    
4. Love, Laughter, and Murder Ever After by Jeanine Spooner
5. Life's a Witch by Amanda M. Lee
6. Uprooted by Naomi Novik
7. Fate's Edge by Ilona Andrews
8. Opening Hearts by Iona Findley
9. Christmas in the Park by Laura Lockington 
10. Murder Half-Baked by Kathleen Delaney
11. Memory & Dream by Charles de Lint
12. Memories of the Blue Door by Neil Davis 

 List of books December:

1. Terra Incognita: Travels In Antarctica by Sara Wheeler
2. I År bliver det anderledes by Maeve Binchy
3. The Viscount's Christmas Temptation by Erica Ridley
4. Royal Assassin by Robin Hobb
5. Assassin's Quest by Robin Hobb
6. Mattie: The Story of an Australian Convict Child by Sheila Hunter 
7. Last Christmas by Lily Greene
8. Fool's Errand by Robin Hobb 
9. Lost & Found in India by Braja Sorensen 
10. STRANGERS by Chirag Upadhyay

STRANGERS by Chirag Upadhyay

Have you ever been overseas and wondered who the strangers you meet at the hotel, at the bar, swimming pool, and on the nine hour bus journey through the night really are? Danny Shah didn't. He should have.
Made redundant, Danny decides a holiday, specifically a visit to Machu Picchu, is in order. He joins an organised tour where he meets his fellow travellers, eight other strangers. All Danny wants to do is party. However, some of these strangers harbour secrets…A fugitive on the run. An undercover cop in pursuit.
Will Danny get the chance to experience sun, sex, sours and once-in-a-lifetime sites? Or will he be dragged into a story he wants nothing to do with?  From Goodreads.

This is one of the more confusing books I have read but I still kind of liked it. I chose it because it was set in Peru and the characters were going to visit Machu Picchu, which I visited many years ago. Unfortunately they never got there! I had no idea till the book told me at the end who was the bad guy and who was the undercover cop and I think that was really good.

This book qualifies for:
Goodreads Reading Challenge 2015
Romance Readers Reading Challenges: Word Hunt 2015
Wacky Reading Challenges: Word Search 2015
The Challenge Factory: Scavenger Hunt Part XVI
Rawk-A-Tiers: Scavenger Hunt
Rawk-A-Tiers: Travel Around the World
A Million More Pages: Scavenger 2015
A Million More Pages Hogwarts: Backpacking Around The Globe
A Million More Pages Hogwarts: Hogwarts Scavenger Hunt
Wacky Reading Challenges: Locations A-Z

Lost & Found in India by Braja Sorensen

Despite how entertaining or exotic one may find other books on India to be, they share the trait of being written by foreigners on a brief journey, an adventure, and consequently they all deliver an often incorrect view of a country that is impossible to understand from the surface.
Sorensen moved in, set up house, became a resident in a village on the banks of the Ganges River, and eventually called India home. Her writing swings from the depths of ancient culture, spirituality, and philosophy, through to drunk bathroom repair men and India's wedding season, and ties it all together with direction, grounding, and an easily-digested reality.
Its funny, outrageous, controversial, deep, witty, spiritual, philosophical, and damned entertaining: in other words, it’s India. From Goodreads.




I unfortunately didn't find this book funny, entertaining or interesting at all. The most interesting thing about the book is that I am Danish and she married a Dane and he is hardly mentioned. But I did finish it as I needed it for a challenge.

This book qualifies for:
Goodreads Reading Challenge 2015
Wacky Reading Challenges: Word Search 2015
The Challenge Factory: Scavenger Hunt Part XVI
Rawk-A-Tiers: Scavenger Hunt
Rawk-A-Tiers: Travel Around the World
A Million More Pages: Scavenger 2015
A Million More Pages Hogwarts: Backpacking Around The Globe
Crazy Challenge Connection: Monopoly

Fool's Errand by Robin Hobb

'We are here, you and I, Fitz, to
change the world. Again.'
Fifteen years have passed since the end of the Red Ship War with the terrifying Outislanders. Since then, Fitz has wandered the world accompanied only by his wolf and Wit-partner, Nighteyes, finally settling in a tiny cottage as remote from Buckkeep and the Farseers as possible.
But lately the world has come crashing in again. The Witted are being persecuted because of their magical bonds with animals; and young Prince Dutiful has gone missing just before his crucial diplomatic wedding to an Outislander princess. Fitz's assignment to fetch Dutiful back in time for the ceremony seems very much like a fool's errand, but the dangers ahead could signal the end of the Farseer reign. From Goodreads.




Yes, I am continuing this story already. Fitz has lived his own life for 15 years but now he has to go back and help save the Kingdom yet again. It seems the Fool has a bigger role in this series and I am looking forward to see where that goes as I actually like him more than I like Fitz. I like that we are seeing more of the Witted.
I have ordered the next book in the series from the library.

This book qualifies for:
Goodreads Reading Challenge 2015
Romance Readers Reading Challenges: Word Hunt 2015
Wacky Reading Challenges: Word Search 2015
The Challenge Factory: Scavenger Hunt Part XVI
Rawk-A-Tiers: Big Books Bonus Club
Rawk-A-Tiers: Scavenger Hunt
A Million More Pages: Scavenger 2015
A Million More Pages Hogwarts: Backpacking Around The Globe

Last Christmas by Lily Greene

Last Christmas Ella’s heart was broken.
She had been with sophisticated banker Robbie Newton for six years when they suddenly broke up on New Year’s Eve.
Robbie had left her heartbroken and hurt with nothing but a note explaining he had taken a job in Chicago.
This Christmas Ella is determined to bury her past and start afresh.
She focuses on her career as an artist and organises her debut exhibition in a swanky London gallery.
While shopping for her best friend, Libby Crosley, who is hosting her infamous Christmas party that evening, Ella bumps into a mysterious man in the supermarket.
After a series of awkward run-ins and chance meetings with this stranger, Fergus Lamb, Ella feels the pangs of love again.
Fergus is nothing like any man Ella’s ever dated.
He’s a quirky, smart, bold, and spontaneous war photographer who looks like James Dean.
Just as Ella’s luck is changing, Robbie shows up unannounced at the opening night of her exhibition.
Ella is faced with a choice when Robbie finally offers her what she always wanted…
Who will Ella choose? Her suave and successful ex-boyfriend who she finds so irresistible? Or the exciting new stranger who has just waltzed into her life?
Will this Christmas be a fresh start? Or will she be dragged back to the memories of Last Christmas?
‘Last Christmas’ is a heart-warming, witty and modern take on the classic love triangle story – the perfect romance to curl up to the fire with. from Goodreads.

An okay Christmas read that only took a few hours to read. It is of course predictable but a short fun, read.

This book qualifies for:
Goodreads Reading Challenge 2015
Romance Readers Reading Challenges: Word Hunt 2015
Wacky Reading Challenges: Word Search 2015
The Challenge Factory: Scavenger Hunt Part XVI
Rawk-A-Tiers: Scavenger Hunt
Rawk-A-Tiers: Companion Challenge 2015
Rawk-A-Tiers: Reading by the Numbers
Rawk-A-Tiers: Twelve Days of Christmas
A Million More Pages: Scavenger 2015
A Million More Pages Hogwarts: Backpacking Around The Globe
Christmas Spirit Reading Challenge 2015
Wacky Reading Challenges: Locations A-Z

Mattie: The Story of an Australian Convict Child by Sheila Hunter

Mattie aged 12 is convicted for petty theft, given the sentence of 7 years and is sent to Australia. She meets another convict woman who at her death gives Mattie a chance for a new life. Mattie makes the most of everything that comes her way. She earns her freedom, falls in love, marries and becomes a mother. Life is not kind to her. She meets bushrangers; moves to the Gold Fields in Bathurst and starts a store.
Mattie is the kind of woman that made
Australia what it is today. From Goodreads.

This only just made it up to 3 polar Bears. It was okay and it was the description of the time period that pulled it up. The main character Mattie is a bit too perfect and I didn't understand why the author had to bring the subject of paedophilia into the book and then just use a page on it and really no consequences for the person trying to do it.

This book qualifies for:
Goodreads Reading Challenge 2015
Romance Readers Reading Challenges: Word Hunt 2015
Wacky Reading Challenges: Word Search 2015
The Challenge Factory: Scavenger Hunt Part XVI
Rawk-A-Tiers: Scavenger Hunt
Rawk-A-Tiers: Travel Around the World
A Million More Pages: Scavenger 2015
A Million More Pages Hogwarts: Dragon Nursery
A Million More Pages Hogwarts: Backpacking Around The Globe

Assassin's Quest by Robin Hobb

From an extraordinary new voice in fantasy comes the stunning conclusion to the Farseer trilogy, as FitzChivalry confronts his destiny as the catalyst who holds the fate of the kingdom of the Six Duchies...and the world itself.
King Shrewd is dead at the hands of his son Regal. As is Fitz--or so his enemies and friends believe. But with the help of his allies and his beast magic, he emerges from the grave, deeply scarred in body and soul. The kingdom also teeters toward ruin: Regal has plundered and abandoned the capital, while the rightful heir, Prince Verity, is lost to his mad quest--perhaps to death. Only Verity's return--or the heir his princess carries--can save the Six Duchies.
But Fitz will not wait. Driven by loss and bitter memories, he undertakes a quest: to kill Regal. The journey casts him into deep waters, as he discovers wild currents of magic within him--currents that will either drown him or make him something more than he was.... From Goodreads.


A great end to this trilogy. Fitz really has to go through a lot at great cost. There is magic, dragons and a mad Prince. And one of the very interesting characters is the Fool, I'm sure he is one of the good guys but he is weird.
If I wanted to read The Realm of the Elderlings in order the next books should be the Liveship Traders Trilogy but as I have read these already I will continue with the Tawny Man Trilogy.

This book qualifies for:
Goodreads Reading Challenge 2015
I love Library books 2015
Romance Readers Reading Challenges: Word Hunt 2015
Wacky Reading Challenges: Word Search 2015
The Challenge Factory: Scavenger Hunt Part XVI
Rawk-A-Tiers: Big Books Bonus Club
Rawk-A-Tiers: Scavenger Hunt
Rawk-A-Tiers: Companion Challenge 2015
A Million More Pages: Scavenger 2015 
A Million More Pages Hogwarts: Dragon Nursery
A Million More Pages Hogwarts: Backpacking Around The Globe
Crazy Challenge Connection: Monopoly

Royal Assassin by Robin Hobb

Young Fitz, the illegitimate son of the noble Prince Chivalry, is ignored by all royalty except the devious King Shrewd, who has had him tutored him in the dark arts of the assassin. He has barely survived his first, soul-shattering mission, and returns to the court where he is thrown headfirst into the tumult of royal life. With the King near death, and Fitz's only ally off on a seemingly hopeless quest, the throne itself is threatened. Meanwhile, the treacherous Red Ship Raiders have renewed their attacks on the Six Duchies, slaughtering the inhabitants of entire seaside towns. In this time of great peril, it soon becomes clear that the fate of the kingdom may rest in Fitz's hands--and his role in its salvation may require the ultimate sacrifice. From Goodreads.

I am completely caught up in this story. I'm not too fond of spy and political books but the difference here is that this is also fantasy and that makes it likeable. I like Fitz, he has no choice in how his life turns out. He has sworn loyalty to the king and has to do everything in his power to help him.
I will continue straight away with the last book in this trilogy.


This book qualifies for:
Goodreads Reading Challenge 2015
I love Library books 2015
Romance Readers Reading Challenges: Word Hunt 2015
Wacky Reading Challenges: Word Search 2015
Wacky Reading Challenges: Mini Challenge 2015
The Challenge Factory: Scavenger Hunt Part XVI
Rawk-A-Tiers: Big Books Bonus Club
Rawk-A-Tiers: Scavenger Hunt
Rawk-A-Tiers: Companion Challenge 2015
Rawk-A-Tiers: Reading by the Numbers
A Million More Pages: Scavenger 2015 
A Million More Pages Hogwarts: Dragon Nursery
A Million More Pages Hogwarts: Backpacking Around The Globe
Crazy Challenge Connection: Monopoly

The Viscount's Christmas Temptation by Erica Ridley

Certain individuals might consider Lady Amelia Pembroke a managing sort of female, but truly, most people would be lost without her help. Why, the latest on-dit is that rakish Viscount Sheffield is canceling the fête of the year because he hasn't time for silly soirees. He doesn't need time—he needs her!
When a flash of lightning destroys the venue for his family's annual Christmas ball, Lord Benedict Sheffield intends to enjoy a relaxing holiday for once. But after twelve days of beguiling Lady Amelia's guerrilla tactics, he's up to his cravat with tinsel . . . and tumbling head over heels in love. From Goodreads.

A short Christmas story. It was okay, I liked Amelia and the way she organized and manipulated Lord Benedict which he soon realised she was doing but let her do anyway.

This book qualifies for:
Goodreads Reading Challenge 2015
Romance Readers Reading Challenges: Yahtzee Challenge
Rawk-A-Tiers: The Shorts Stack
Rawk-A-Tiers: Companion Challenge 2015
A Million More Pages: Scavenger 2015
A Million More Pages Hogwarts: Backpacking Around The Globe
Christmas Spirit Reading Challenge 2015
Wacky Reading Challenges: Character Names, A-Z

I År bliver det anderledes (This Year It Will Be Different) by Maeve Binchy

From the New York Times bestselling author of Circle of Friends, The Glass Lake, and Evening Class comes a stunning collection of fifteen Christmas stories filled with Maeve Binchy's trademark wit, charm, and sheer storytelling genius. In A Typical Irish Christmas, a grieving widower heads for a holiday in Ireland and finds an unexpected destination not just for himself, but for a father and daughter in crisis. . . . In Pulling Together, a teacher not yet out of her twenties sees her affair with a married man at a turning point as Christmas Eve approaches. . . . And in the title story, This Year It Will Be Different, a woman with a complacent husband and grown children enters a season that will forever alter her life, and theirs. . .  From Goodreads.

This was quite interesting, maybe not full of Christmas cheer but most of the stories contained some kind of reflection on life. I liked it even though I felt most of the stories involved cheating husbands, divorces and unhappy people.

This book qualifies for:
Goodreads Reading Challenge 2015
I love Library books 2015
Wacky Reading Challenges: Mini Challenge 2015
Rawk-A-Tiers: Companion Challenge 2015
A Million More Pages Hogwarts: Dragon Nursery
A Million More Pages Hogwarts: Backpacking Around The Globe
Christmas Spirit Reading Challenge 2015 

Terra Incognita: Travels In Antarctica by Sara Wheeler

Sara Wheeler was the first woman selected by the American government to be the Writer in Residence at the US South Pole Station. She spent six weeks at the pole. In this book she reveals how people live on the bases and how the landscape affects them. From Goodreads.

This was only just okay. There were a lot of interesting historical bits and some funny episodes during her time in Antarctica. Unfortunately, it was also boring and felt quite drawn out.

This book qualifies for:
Goodreads Reading Challenge 2015
I love Library books 2015
Romance Readers Reading Challenges: Word Hunt 2015
Wacky Reading Challenges: Word Search 2015
Wacky Reading Challenges: Mini Challenge 2015
Rawk-A-Tiers: Scavenger Hunt
Rawk-A-Tiers: Companion Challenge 2015
Rawk-A-Tiers: Travel Around the World
Rawk-A-Tiers: Reading by the Numbers
A Million More Pages: Scavenger 2015 
A Million More Pages Hogwarts: Dragon Nursery
A Million More Pages Hogwarts: Backpacking Around The Globe

Memories of the Blue Door by Neil Davis

Allow us if you will to transport you back to a wonderful carefree time, where lifelong boyhood memories were made and adventure was abundant!
Back in Newcastle Upon Tyne in the 1980s close-knit relationships and unshakeable combined imaginations ruled. Remembering friendships forged together more than three decades ago, long before and out of reach of today’s busy modern world, of reality bites and virtual Xbox adventures, Paul and Neil will take you back to the notorious Cowgate Estate. Cowgate, which lies in their city's west end, was a place so barren and devoid of both hope and dreams that it seemed excitement and an overwhelming sense of brotherhood were never quite meant to happen!
Turn a page if you will and take the road back to an era we all just might remember, to that time and place where we had the greatest adventures of our lives! From Goodreads.


This was okay but I think you have to have grown up in that kind of British neighbourhood to really appreciate the stories.

This book qualifies for:
Goodreads Reading Challenge 2015
Romance Readers Reading Challenges: Yahtzee Challenge
Wacky Reading Challenges: Word Search 2015
The Challenge Factory: Scavenger Hunt Part XVI
Rawk-A-Tiers: Scavenger Hunt
Rawk-A-Tiers: Reading by the Numbers
Rawk-A-Tiers: Twelve Days of Christmas
A Million More Pages: Scavenger 2015 
A Million More Pages Hogwarts: Backpacking Around The Globe
A Million More Pages Hogwarts: Hogwarts Scavenger Hunt
Wacky Reading Challenges: Character Names, A-Z

Memory & Dream by Charles de Lint

Isabelle Copley, as the young student of the cruel, brilliant artist Vincent Rushkin, discovered that she could paint images so vividly real they brought her wildest fantasies to life. But when the forces she unleashed brought tragedy to those she loved, she turned her back on her talent and her dreams.
Now, twenty years later, Isabelle must come to terms with the shattering memories she has long denied and unlock the slumbering power of her brush. And, in a dark reckoning with her old master, she must find the courage to live out her dreams and bring the magic back to life.
This is a tale of love, courage, and the transforming power of imagination.
"The [Newford] books have all been written in such a way that you should be able to pick up any one and get a full and complete story. However, characters do reoccur, off center stage as it were, and their stories do follow a sequence." From Goodreads.

After having read a few Charles de Lint books I decided that I wanted to read the Newford books in order. Not that they can't be read on their own but there are characters that turn up in books more than once.
I listened to this on audio which was a problem for me, the narrator did well but it just took me too long to get through. If I had read this I would most likely have finished it in one or two sittings.
I really enjoy Charles de Lint's urban fantasies.They have quite a bit of magic just under the surface of normal life. Isabelle was a very complex person and she kept surprising me. I enjoyed going forward and backward in time.

This book qualifies for:
Goodreads Reading Challenge 2015
2015 Audiobook challenge
Wacky Reading Challenges: Word Search 2015
Wacky Reading Challenges: Mini Challenge 2015
The Challenge Factory: Scavenger Hunt Part XVI
Rawk-A-Tiers: Getting Acquainted
Rawk-A-Tiers: Scavenger Hunt
Rawk-A-Tiers: Haunted House
Rawk-A-Tiers: Reading by the Numbers
A Million More Pages: Scavenger 2015 
A Million More Pages Hogwarts: Backpacking Around The Globe
The Christmas Spirit Read-a-Thon 2015 
A Million More Pages Hogwarts: Hogwarts Scavenger Hunt
Wacky Reading Challenges: Character Names, A-Z
Crazy Challenge Connection: Monopoly
Wacky Reading Challenges: Vampires, Witches & Ghosts, O My

Murder Half-Baked by Kathleen Delaney

A dead man in the cemetery, another in the bakery. Ellen McKenzie has to find the killer soon ... before another death puts a stop to her wedding. The groom is Dan Dunham, Santa Louisa’s Chief of Police. The guest list is growing and Ellen’s dreams of a small, intimate candlelight ceremony are rapidly disappearing. A major distraction is Ellen’s quest to find a new building for Grace House, a halfway house for needy women. Then she finds old Dr Sadler dead in the cemetery, his head bashed in by the arm of a marble angel. Every suspect is connected to Grace House. After it goes up in flames, all the residents, including one new-born, move in with Ellen and Dan. Will Ellen and Dan ever solve the murders and get their lives back? From Goodreads.
 





This was okay. There was a lot going on which might have been easier if I had read the three first books in this series but it wasn't too bad and I don't think I missed anything. I liked that it had interesting side characters. 

This book qualifies for:
Goodreads Reading Challenge 2015
Wacky Reading Challenges: Word Search 2015
Wacky Reading Challenges: Mini Challenge 2015
The Challenge Factory: Scavenger Hunt Part XVI
Rawk-A-Tiers: Scavenger Hunt
Rawk-A-Tiers: Haunted House
Rawk-A-Tiers: Reading by the Numbers
Rawk-A-Tiers: Twelve Days of Christmas
A Million More Pages: Scavenger 2015 
A Million More Pages Hogwarts: Dragon Nursery
A Million More Pages Hogwarts: Backpacking Around The Globe 
The Christmas Spirit Read-a-Thon 2015  

Christmas in the Park by Laura Lockington

30-something Sarah has finally decided to start her own business.
After years of 5 a.m starts, running around a busy television studio, she has decided to hand in her resignation, and begin her dream of running her own cake making business.
Swapping her stylish clothes for tracksuits and an apron she gets to work, and is thrilled when the local café agrees to start selling her treats.
And – even better – she starts to get to know the handsome and single owner, David.
Working from home also means she can finally do one other thing she couldn’t do with her hectic job – get a puppy.
Deciding she wants a rescue dog, Sarah heads off to the local dog’s centre, and tries not to say yes to adopting the whole lot.
One beautiful little Dachshund with adorable amber eyes immediately takes a liking to her.
And Sarah knows there is no turning back.
She bundles Malteaser up and takes him home, and before long he is helping her to meet new people in her local park.
But Malteaser can be more than a bit of a handful. And Sarah knows she is no good at disciplining him...
So when fellow dog-walker Nick steps in to give her hand she knows she should take his advice. But does he just want to help her out, or is he interested in something else?
With an excitable puppy, and lots of orders to bake for the café, could Sarah be taking on too much?
And could there be something there with David – or Nick?
With Christmas on the way, and the café suddenly coming under threat, things get even crazier.
And Sarah has to find a way to create a magical Christmas in the Park...
‘Christmas in the Park’ is a warming festive novella, full of sweat treats, doggy disasters and snippets of romance.  From Goodreads.

This was okay. A nice, cosy, romantic Christmas read. Perfect for reading on a cold, dark evening.

This book qualifies for:
Goodreads Reading Challenge 2015
The Challenge Factory: Scavenger Hunt Part XVI
Rawk-A-Tiers: The Shorts Stack
Rawk-A-Tiers: Companion Challenge 2015
A Million More Pages Hogwarts: Backpacking Around The Globe
The Christmas Spirit Read-a-Thon 2015
Christmas Spirit Reading Challenge 2015 

Opening Hearts by Iona Findley

Pregnant and alone at 35!
Jessalyn O'Donnell returns from her best friend's wedding with a surprise of her own. She knows how it happened -- three sex-filled nights with a smokin' hot guy, known only as Sam -- but she has no way to get in touch with him.
When smokejumper Sam Ricci returns to his hometown after the annual firefighting season ends, he has no plans for fatherhood. His lifestyle is too risky, and he loves his job -- almost as much as he loves women. Everything changes when he runs into Jessalyn again and discovers her plans for single parenthood.
Sam doesn’t want to be tied down. Jessalyn would rather go it alone than deal with an absent husband. So why, when a twist of fate brings them together again, does it feel so right?  From Goodreads.




This was okay but no more. Though it was nice with a mature strong woman who could make decisions on her own.

This book qualifies for:
Goodreads Reading Challenge 2015
Wacky Reading Challenges: Word Search 2015
Wacky Reading Challenges: Mini Challenge 2015
The Challenge Factory: Scavenger Hunt Part XVI
Rawk-A-Tiers: Scavenger Hunt
Rawk-A-Tiers: Haunted House
Rawk-A-Tiers: Reading by the Numbers
A Million More Pages: Scavenger 2015
Wacky Reading Challenges: Autumn Fun
A Million More Pages Hogwarts: Dragon Nursery
A Million More Pages Hogwarts: Backpacking Around The Globe
Crazy Challenge Connection: Scrabble, anyone?

Fate's Edge by Ilona Andrews

Audrey Callahan left behind her life in the Edge, and she's determined to stay on the straight and narrow. But when her brother gets into hot water, the former thief takes on one last heist and finds herself matching wits with a jack of all trades...
Kaldar Mar-a gambler, lawyer, thief, and spy-expects his latest assignment tracking down a stolen item to be a piece of cake, until Audrey shows up. But when the item falls into the hands of a lethal criminal, Kaldar realizes that in order to finish the job, he's going to need Audrey's help... From Goodreads.

I remember being slightly disappointed in book two because this series is not about the same main characters in each book, though the main character is a person we have met in a previous book. This has changed as I find it quite interesting to read about a person who was a minor character earlier. Kaldar Mar is the main character but Georgie and Jack, who we met in the first book, are also important and I like them. I am continuing this series and already have book 4 ready.

This book qualifies for:
Goodreads Reading Challenge 2015
I love Library books 2015
Romance Readers Reading Challenges: Word Hunt 2015
Wacky Reading Challenges: Word Search 2015
Wacky Reading Challenges: Mini Challenge 2015
The Challenge Factory: Scavenger Hunt Part XVI
Rawk-A-Tiers: Scavenger Hunt
Rawk-A-Tiers: Companion Challenge 2015
Rawk-A-Tiers: Reading by the Numbers
Rawk-A-Tiers: Twelve Days of Christmas
A Million More Pages: Scavenger 2015
Wacky Reading Challenges: Autumn Fun
A Million More Pages Hogwarts: Dragon Nursery
A Million More Pages Hogwarts: Backpacking Around The Globe
A Million More Pages Hogwarts: Hogwarts Scavenger Hunt
Crazy Challenge Connection: Pick a Theme 2015-2016
Wacky Reading Challenges: Vampires, Witches & Ghosts, O My

Uprooted by Naomi Novik

“Our Dragon doesn’t eat the girls he takes, no matter what stories they tell outside our valley. We hear them sometimes, from travelers passing through. They talk as though we were doing human sacrifice, and he were a real dragon. Of course that’s not true: he may be a wizard and immortal, but he’s still a man, and our fathers would band together and kill him if he wanted to eat one of us every ten years. He protects us against the Wood, and we’re grateful, but not that grateful.”
Agnieszka loves her valley home, her quiet village, the forests and the bright shining river. But the corrupted Wood stands on the border, full of malevolent power, and its shadow lies over her life.
Her people rely on the cold, driven wizard known only as the Dragon to keep its powers at bay. But he demands a terrible price for his help: one young woman handed over to serve him for ten years, a fate almost as terrible as falling to the Wood.
The next choosing is fast approaching, and Agnieszka is afraid. She knows—everyone knows—that the Dragon will take Kasia: beautiful, graceful, brave Kasia, all the things Agnieszka isn’t, and her dearest friend in the world. And there is no way to save her.
But Agnieszka fears the wrong things. For when the Dragon comes, it is not Kasia he will choose. From Goodreads.

I enjoyed this very much and wished it was part of a series so I could return to this world. This was pure fantasy nearly without romance and it was quite refreshing. Nothing is like Agnieszka expects after she, surprisingly, has been chosen to serve The Dragon - the wizard, who protects her people.
I've had the first book in the Temeraire Series for years but not gotten around to reading it, I will definitely push it up my TBR list after reading this book by Naomi Novik.

This book qualifies for:
Goodreads Reading Challenge 2015
2015 Witches & Witchcraft Challenge
I love Library books 2015
Romance Readers Reading Challenges: Word Hunt 2015
Wacky Reading Challenges: Word Search 2015
Wacky Reading Challenges: Mini Challenge 2015
The Challenge Factory: Scavenger Hunt Part XVI
Rawk-A-Tiers: Scavenger Hunt
Rawk-A-Tiers: Reading by the Numbers
A Million More Pages: Scavenger 2015
A Million More Pages Hogwarts: Dragon Nursery
A Million More Pages Hogwarts: Backpacking Around The Globe
Crazy Challenge Connection: Pick a Theme 2015-2016
Crazy Challenge Connection: Monopoly
Crazy Challenge Connection: Scrabble, anyone?
Wacky Reading Challenges: Vampires, Witches & Ghosts, O My

Life's a Witch by Amanda M. Lee

Life's a witch ... and then you die.
Bay Winchester is living the witch part – literally. She’s hoping to avoid the dying part.
The Winchester world is full of trouble when great-aunt Willa and cousin Rosemary come to town. It’s clear they’re up to something, but no one can figure out what.
Aunt Tillie is loading for bear. She’s declared war on her sister, and she’s not taking prisoners – or looking to skirt collateral damage.
When a young man’s body shows up at Hollow Creek, Bay’s attention is divided thanks to a morose ghost who blames her for ending “party time” and Aunt Tillie’s refusal to back down.
FBI Agent Landon Michaels enjoys watching the show, although he’s worried the dead man’s ties to the local drug trade could put the Winchesters in danger due to Aunt Tillie’s “glaucoma medicine” side business.
Local kids are trying to steal from the property, Aunt Willa is trying to undermine everyone and Aunt Tillie has a secret that she’s dying to spill – that is when she’s not protecting her land with a shotgun.
Bay is determined to find answers, even if she dies in the process. From Goodreads.

As usual a fun, quirky, cosy read about Bay and her family. This time Aunt Tillie's sister turns up and makes trouble, but of course Aunt Tillie sorts everything out in her special way. This also has a darker side with drug and sexual abuse and revenge in the mix that Bay has to sort out. 

This book qualifies for:
Goodreads Reading Challenge 2015
2015 Witches & Witchcraft Challenge
Romance Readers Reading Challenges: Word Hunt 2015
Wacky Reading Challenges: Word Search 2015
The Challenge Factory: Scavenger Hunt Part XVI
Rawk-A-Tiers: Scavenger Hunt
Rawk-A-Tiers: Companion Challenge 2015
Rawk-A-Tiers: Haunted House
Rawk-A-Tiers: Travel Around the World
Rawk-A-Tiers: Twelve Days of Christmas
A Million More Pages: Scavenger 2015
A Million More Pages Hogwarts: Backpacking Around The Globe
Crazy Challenge Connection: Pick a Theme 2015-2016
Wacky Reading Challenges: Locations A-Z
Crazy Challenge Connection: Scrabble, anyone?
Wacky Reading Challenges: Vampires, Witches & Ghosts, O My 

Love, Laughter, and Murder Ever After by Jeanine Spooner

When cake kills…
Kitty Sinclair lives for love. A bold and bubbly woman just shy of thirty, Kitty has opened her own wedding planning business in elegant Greenwich, Connecticut where the blooming spring flowers and lusciously rolling hills are the perfect setting to tie the knot. If only Kitty herself could find love…
Her store Happily Ever After opens with a kick when the daughter of the notorious Duke von Winkle accepts a grand proposal from an equally wealthy suitor. It seems Kitty is in the throws of planning the wedding of the century. Finally her dream has come true.
But when the bride's father suddenly drops dead in her store, Kitty's true talents emerge. A lemon custard cake, a bottle of poison, and questions that seem to never end, Kitty follows the trail of clues, determined to solve the mystery before the bride and groom can say I do.
If she succeeds her store will thrive. If she falls short her business will be in peril. The choice is easy and her determination is strong, but one man stands in her way…
Detective Sterling Slaughter has a funny way with women. Resist though she does, his charm can be distracting… From Goodreads.

I didn't like this book. I found the main character unbelievable, I expect that in a cosy mystery but this was too much, and all in all just too silly. I am glad this was free and I am not looking for more books in this series.

This book qualifies for:
Goodreads Reading Challenge 2015
Romance Readers Reading Challenges: Word Hunt 2015
Wacky Reading Challenges: Word Search 2015
The Challenge Factory: Scavenger Hunt Part XVI
Rawk-A-Tiers: Scavenger Hunt
Rawk-A-Tiers: Companion Challenge 2015
Rawk-A-Tiers: Haunted House
Rawk-A-Tiers: Reading by the Numbers
Rawk-A-Tiers: Twelve Days of Christmas
A Million More Pages: Scavenger 2015
A Million More Pages Hogwarts: Backpacking Around The Globe
A Million More Pages Hogwarts: Hogwarts Scavenger Hunt
Wacky Reading Challenges: Locations A-Z
Nothing but Reading Challenges: 50 States Challenge