Cruisin’ Through the Cozies 2018 Challenge

Sponsored by Socrates’ Book Reviews – this is my first venture into cozy mystery challenges.

This year’s cozy mystery reading challenge has two ways to participate and you can choose whichever suits you the best:

A) Read only cozy mysteries of your choice.

Or

B) Read one book from these sub-genres:

– One from culinary (anything dealing with food: restaurants, baked goods, etc.)
– One from animal related (cats, dogs, birds, etc.)
– One from craft related (any kind of hobbies – knitting, crocheting, scrapbooking, etc.)
– One from paranormal (witches, vampires, etc.)
– One from cozy mysteries based outside the US (example: Belinda Lawrence series (British))
– One career-based cozy mystery (housekeeping, wedding planner, etc.)
– One holiday based (set during any holiday – Christmas, Thanksgiving, Valentines, etc.)
– One travel mystery (character could be on a cruise, touring another area, etc.)
– One historical mystery (any mystery not set in the present)
– One is your choice! (freebie!)

Here are the levels you can join for either A or B…

Level one (Snoop) –
A) Read 10 cozy mysteries of your choice.
B) Read one book in each of the above cozy sub-genres (total of 10 books)

Level two (Investigator) –
A) Read 20 cozy mysteries of your choice.
B) Read all the books in level one plus an additional 10 cozy books of your choice (total of 20)

Level three (Super Sleuth) –
A) Read 30 cozy mysteries of your choice.
B) Read two books from each sub-genre in level one plus an additional 10 cozy books of your choice (total of 30 books)

Level four (Sleuth Extraordinaire) –
A)Read 40 cozy mysteries of your choice.
B)Read two books from each sub-genre in level one plus an additional 20 cozy books of your choice (total of 40 books)

Here are the rules…

1. The challenge runs from January 1, 2018 and ends December 31, 2018.

2. You don’t have to choose your books in advance. If you do, you can change your list at any time during the year. Books can overlap with other challenges.

3. Books can be in any format – paper, audio, ebooks…it all counts!

4. You don’t have to post a review, but I’m sure others would love to know about the books you are reading and may even want to add it to their reading lists.

NOTE: If you don’t have a blog and want to participate, that’s fine. You don’t have to have a blog, just post in the comments section as you finish books. If you belong to a site like Goodreads and review the books there, that’s fine too. Just leave us the link. I also have a group for this challenge on Goodreads and you can sign up here.

 

I’m going to try 20 titles – and It will be a mix of Choose your own and specific genres.

1. Rosemary’s Gravy by Melissa F. Miller – Group B – Food
2. Sage of Innocence by Melissa F. Miller – Group B – Career
3. The Girl in the Photograph by Kirsty Ferry  – Group B – Historic
4. Thyme to Live by Melissa F. Miller – Group A – Non-Specific
5. Coffin Scarcely Used by Colin Watson  – Group B – British
6. Bump in the Night by Colin Watson  – Group A – Non-Specific
7. Hopjoy Was Here by Colin Watson – Group A – Non-Specific
8. Paris by the Book by Liam Callanan – Group B – Non-US
9. Lonelyheart 4122 by Colin Watson – Group A – Non-Specific
10. Dangerous Crossing by Rachel Rhys  – Group B – Travel
11. Charity Ends at Home by Colin Watson – Group A – Non-Specific
12. The Otter of Death by Betty Webb – Group B – Animal Related
13.  The Accidental Mermaid by Dakota Cassidy – Group B – Paranormal
14.  Cremas, Christmas Cookies, and Crooks by Harper Lin – Group B – Food
15.  Twinkle Little Star by Lee Strauss  – Group A – Non-Specific
16. The Skeletons of Scarborough House by Kitty French – Group B – Paranormal
17.  Murder in an English Village by Jessica Ellicott – Group B – Historic
18.  Lowcountry Bookshop by Susan M. Boyer – Group A – Non-Specific
19.  Crime & Punctuation by Kaitlyn Dunnett – Group B  – Career Based
20.  Murder in the Locked Library by Ellery Adams – Group B – Career Based
21.  Lending a Paw by Laurie Cass – Group B – Career Based
22.  Tailing a Tabby by Laurie Cass – Group B – Career Based
23.  Borrowed Crime by Laurie Cass – Group B – Career Based
24.  Murder’s a Witch by Danielle Garrett – Group B – Paranormal
25.  Twice the Witch by Danielle Garrett – Group B – Paranormal
26. Witch Slapped by Dakota Cassidy  – Group B – Paranormal
27. A Murder for the Books by Victoria Gilbert – Group B – Career Based
28. Witch Spells Trouble by Lori Woods – Group B – Paranormal
29. Secrets, Lies, & Crawfish Pies by Abby L. Vandiver – Group B – Non-Specific
30. Blue Murder by Colin Watson – Group B – Non US
31. Jamie Quinn Mystery Collection by Barbara Venkataraman – Group B – Career Based
32. Royally Dead by Greta McKennan – Group B – Craft Related
33. European Travel for the Monstrous Gentlewoman by Theodora Goss – Group B – Travel
34. Good Witch Hunting by Dakota Cassidy – Group B – Paranormal
35. Shelved Under Murder by Victoria Gilbert – Group B – Career Related
36. Lucky Witch by Danielle Garrett – Group B – Paranormal
37. Thread Herrings by Lea Wait – Group B – Craft Related
38. A Dangerous Duet by Karen Odden – Group B – Historic
39. Lord of the Pies by Nell Hampton – Group B – Food / Career Related
40. Murder by the Book by Lauren Elliott – Group B – Career Related
41. Then There Were Nun by Dakota Cassidy – Group B – Paranormal
42. Curses, Boiled Again! by Shari Randall – Group B – Food

So this all brings me to forty-two titles, double my original goal.

My breakdown works out like this: 
1 title is Animal Related
2 titles are Craft Related
3 titles are in Historic eras
3 titles are non-US settings
4 titles are Food Related
8 titles are Non-Specific
9 titles are Paranormal, and
10 titles are Career Related –
I missed the “holiday” group entirely – so I have a mixed result here – 40 titles, Sleuth Extraordinaire plus a couple of extras …