Category: What I’m Reading

What I'm Reading

My 50 State Road Trip Challenge

Exploring the United States via books is an excellent way to leave home without leaving the comforts of home. The 50 State Road Trip Reading Challenge that I have mentioned in a previous post has been one of my favorite yearly challenges. Not only have I discovered authors I haven’t read before, I have explored the US from East to West and North to South. I have even traveled to Alaska and Hawaii, as well as some of the U.S. Territories.

The Goal

The goal is simple: to read a book set in a specific state and to travel all 50 states and Washington, DC thru books. For example: I chose the entire McMurtrie and Drake Legal Thrillers because the entire series is set in Alabama. However, if a book has several settings, you can check off each state the book has a scene in.  Example: Identity by Nora Roberts has scenes set in several states and I chose to check those states off. That particular rule has helped me more than once when I was having difficulty accessing a book for states like Delaware, North/South Dakota, Nebraska, etc.

This is my completed 50 State Road Trip Challenge list for 2026:

Alabama McMurtrie and Drake Legal Thrillers Bailey, Robert
Alaska Northern Lights Roberts, Nora
Arizona A Different Dawn Maldonado, Isabella
Arkansas The Witness Roberts, Nora
California Implied Consent Powell, Keenan
Colorado Not Our Daughter Zunker, Chad
Connecticut Peg and Rose Solve a Murder Berenson, Laurien
Delaware The Innocent Coben, Harlan
Florida The Whistler Grisham, John
Georgia High Noon Roberts, Nora
Hawaii Aloha Alibi Webb, Jasmine
Idaho Chasing Fire Roberts, Nora
Illinois Digging In Nyhan, Loretta
Indiana Cold Cold Heart Hoag, Tami
Iowa This Is How I Lied Gudenkauf, Heather
Kansas The Winter Widow Weir, Charlene
Kentucky The Queen’s Gambit Tevis, Walter
Louisiana Identity Roberts, Nora
Maine Homeport Roberts, Nora
Maryland Identity Roberts, Nora
Massachusetts Three Sisters Island Trilogy Roberts, Nora
Michigan Sniffed Out Benning, Patti
Minnesota Cold Cold Heart Hoag, Tami
Mississippi Cemetery Road Iles, Greg
Missouri Identity Roberts, Nora
Montana Chasing Fire Roberts, Nora
Nebraska Identity Roberts, Nora
Nevada Identity Roberts, Nora
New Hampshire Catch of the Day Bennett, Virginia K.
New Jersey Year One Roberts, Nora
New Mexico The Law Is a Lady Roberts, Nora
New York The Second Son Gervais, Simon/Steck, Ryan
North Carolina Under Currents Roberts, Nora
North Dakota Paradise Valley Box, C. J.
Ohio Year One Roberts, Nora
Oklahoma Killers of the Flower Moon Grann, David
Oregon Her First Mistake Elliot, Kendra
Pennsylvania The Key Trilogy Roberts, Nora
Rhode Island Every Precious and Fragile Thing Davis, Barbara
South Carolina Identity Roberts, Nora
South Dakota Black Hills Roberts, Nora
Tennessee Between Black and White Bailey, Robert
Texas Not Our Daughter Zunker, Chad
Utah The Secret Witness Methos, Victor
Vermont Identity Roberts, Nora
Virginia The Widow Grisham, John
Washington River’s End Roberts, Nora
West Virginia No Filter Gilbert, Heather Day
Wisconsin Buzz Off Reed, Hannah
Wyoming Angels Fall Roberts, Nora
Washington, DC The Night Agent Quirk, Matthew

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Reading Challenges Helped Expand My Reading Book Selection

Reading challenges have helped me expand my reading habits over the last few years. Being a Kindle owner, I found the Kindle Reading Challenges by accident while scrolling down the home page looking for books to read. It started with simply wanting to get credit for reading each day. Then I started wanting all the “virtual bookmarks” associated with their challenges. All of a sudden, I was participating in the yearly challenges in the group I joined on Goodreads, as well as the Goodreads yearly challenge.

A – Z Book Title Challenge

This yearly challenge opened me up to authors and genres I would never have tried before because I had to actively seek book titles beginning with each letter of the alphabet. That’s more difficult than you might think for certain letters. As a result, I found myself giving thrillers, dystopian and fantasy titles a chance.

A- Z Author Challenge

Another yearly challenge that I had to actively think about. Of all the challenges I participate in each year, this one that truly opens me up to new options. I now have a list of authors that I truly enjoy and authors I won’t ever read again and that’s ok.

50 State Road Trip Challenge

So this particular challenge is rewarding and irritating for me at the same time. And this may be the last year I participate in it. Have I complete this challenge before? Yes, I have completed this challenge for the last 5 years. However, if it weren’t for the fact I can use the same book for more than one state, I doubt I would have been able to complete the challenge. My favorite part of this challenge is the 2026 Reading Map I created in Google Maps to keep track of all the place I visit in books.

I’ve covered the three main yearly reading challenges I participate in every year. Do you participate in reading challenges? If so, what challenges do you participate in each year? Have they helped you expand your reading preferences? Let me know. And come back for a more in depth post on each individual challenge I am participating in this year and how I keep track of all my reading.

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The Crimson Moth Duology: A Review

As a rule I do not like “retellings” or “reimaginings” of the classics. I don’t need an updated version of classic literature. However, every once in a while I will give a “retelling/reimagining” a chance. The Crimson Moth Duology by Kristen Ciccarelli was one of those “reimaginings” that I took a chance on and I’m glad I did. I enjoyed the story very much.

The Scarlet Pimpernel For A New Generation

There is absolutely no mistaking that Heartless Hunter and Rebel Witch are an updated version of The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy for those of us that have read those stories. With that being said, I did like how Ms. Ciccarelli swapped the genders of the two main characters. Instead of Sir Percy Blakeney, we get Rune Winters. Citizen Chauvelin is replaced by Gideon Sharpe.

Rune is a beautiful young woman with a secret. In public she is a socialite with nothing more on her mind than the latest fashions and gossip. In private, she is “The Crimson Moth”, a witch helping other witches escape being purged. Gideon Sharpe is the most successful witch hunter of the Republic. But one witch continues to evade capture, “The Crimson Moth”. So it is one adventure after another as each tries to get the upper hand in a dangerous game.

 

 

 

 

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Every Precious and Fragile Thing: A Review

Barbara Davis has wowed me again with another story of love, loss, and second chances in Every Precious and Fragile Thing. It’s a story of relationships broken by secrets and tragedies. This is a story that made me look at my own relationships with my mother and my daughter in a different way.

This book has a lot going on regarding relationships and how they are broken or healed. I totally connected with the characters in different ways. Mallory’s pain and resentment come from her mother not being present enough. Her mother always seems to put her job before Mallory. Her mother’s job also forced them to move quite a bit while also inviting rumor and speculation. Being the new kid in school is always tough, but dealing with that and gossip is bound to cause a child to resent the parent. Having buried that resentment and hurt deep so she could “move on” is starting to surface in unexpected ways. If Mallory doesn’t go home and deal with her past, she’s headed for a meltdown.

Helen walks on eggshells around her daughter, Mallory, in an attempt save what little relationship they have left. However, the time has come to share with her daughter a secret she has been keeping for decades. Will their fragile mother/daughter relationship dissolve completely when Mallory finally learns the truth about her mother? Helen is afraid to find out, but knows she must find the courage to tell.

Estelle spent her life presenting an image to the world. But now she is dying. Does she have enough time to help her son thru his despair after an accident derails his brilliant career as a concert pianist? She’s angry. But with a little help from Helen, Estelle begins to see the mistakes of her life in a new way. Maybe she will have enough time to mend some relationships, not just with her son, but with Helen and Mallory who were victims of her vicious tongue in the past.

I enjoyed this book on several levels and couldn’t put it down. Each character has my sympathy in a different way. They also irritated me in different ways. But in the end, the truth was revealed and relationships were changed. As a mother and daughter, the victim of vicious gossip, and the child of a mother determined to see her child’s talent developed to its fullest potential, I identify with each and every character. And I believe most would be able to connect with at least one of the characters.

Would I read this book again? Yes. Would I recommend this book to others? Absolutely! It’s a wonderfully emotional exploration of the fragile bonds between mothers and their children.

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‘Christmas by the Book’ by Anne Marie Ryan: A Favorite Christmas Read

I started a new Christmas tradition for myself a few years ago, reading only Christmas stories between Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. Yes, I have read A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, How The Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss, the story of the Nativity in the Bible, and other stories. However, I had never made it a point to keep my reading specific to the season until a few years ago.

I discovered a few favorites once I began to actively look for such stories. ‘Christmas by the Book‘ by Anne Marie Ryan is in my top five favorites. Is it a holiday rom-com full of spicy sex scenes? Absolutely not! Is it a holiday comedy? Nope! Is it a holiday mystery? Not even remotely. What it is is a story of hope, charity, and courage.

The Premise

Nora and Simon own a small bookshop in a small village in the Cotswolds of the UK. Theirshop is struggling. The village is struggling. The people in the village are struggling. And its Christmas. How will they keep the Christmas Spirit alive when so many, including themselves, are desperately trying to just keep their heads above water?

After a random customer comes into the shop looking for a specific book for his very ill grandson, Nora and Simon are inspired to run a contest via the internet. Nominate someone you know is having a difficult time this Christmas. The bookstore will randomly choose six to send a book to. As Nora and Simon wait, they choose six books and wrap them up along with an invitation to their Christmas Eve party. And we, the readers, follow along with the intertwining stories of Nora, Simon and the recipients of the books.

 

Now, because I despise spoilers, I hope I have said enough to pique your interest. As stated above, ‘Christmas by the Book’ is in my top favorite Christmas reads. I highly recommend this book. Especially if you’re trying to rediscover the meaning of Christmas for yourself. I can almost guarantee everyone can relate to at least one character in the story.

 

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Christmas Is Officially Here: Let The Fun Begin

Christmas is officially here: Let the fun begin. I’ve patiently waited all year and I am ready for the magic! I love Christmas. Almost everything about the Christmas season brings a smile to my face.

I had Thanksgiving dinner with family at my mom’s house yesterday for the first time in 10 years. The turkey had its moment and then Santa and Mrs. Claus made an appearance. We usually wait a couple of weeks after Thanksgiving for Santa and Mrs. Claus, but due to personal issues it was better to do it today.

So, now that Thanksgiving is over for me, bring on Christmas books, music, and movies. From now until Christmas night I will only read Christmas books, listen to Christmas music, and watch Christmas movies.

Once again, I am starting my “Christmas Read-A-Thon” with Letters From Father Christmas by J. R. R. Tolkien. I begin with this particular book every year because I love how Tolkien made time to give his children a little extra magic to believe in every year. My Christmas Reading List will include a wide variety of genres. Everything from children’s stories to Rom-Coms to ghost stories. And yes, I will be re-reading several Christmas books once again this year. 

Did you ask about Christmas music? I must say that I prefer the music from the 1930’s thru the 1960’s. With that being the case, I am a Gen Xer, so I do appreciate original Christmas music from the 80’s and 90’s. Chances are, anything after that is probably not going to do it for me.

Now let’s talk about Christmas movies. I prefer the original Miracle on 34th Street. Give me George C. Scott in a Christmas Carol, but I do like several other versions of the story as well. Christmas cartoons are always appropriate, and no one should ever leave The Polar Express out of their Christmas movie repertoire.

I honestly don’t have the time or inclination to list every book, song, or movie I will include in my Christmas entertainment lists. But you can be assured I will always prefer the classics over the modern. The point is simply that Christmas has officially begun for me and I will be in that mode until Christmas night. I have waited all year for the magic of the season and I am going to get every bit of magic out of it that I can.

Do you have a Christmas reading list? A playlist just for this time of year? Do you wait until after the turkey has its moment, or do you start right after Halloween? There is no right or wrong answer, just a personal preference.

What I'm Reading

So Many Books, So Little Time

I spent many years as a single mom. This means I had little time and/or money for myself. As a result, one of my favorite things to do, reading, was way down on my “to do” list. Do I regret being a single mom and not having the time and/or money for just myself? Absolutely NOT! My daughter is my greatest blessing. But she’s grown and has kids of her own so….bring on the books, movies, and things I want to do just for myself.

Reading Is My First True Love

I fell in love with reading at a very young age. It is my first true love. And I am one of those people that can read a book multiple times, so I want to not only read them…I want to own them. I want to own books because I am someone that will reread books multiple times. Every time I open a book I’ve read before, it’s like visiting with old friends. The problem is, I don’t have the space to create a physical library in my home. The solution to that problem….my Kindle!

My Personal Library Is Digital

My Kindle has saved me from the disappointment of not being able to have a personal library. Thanks to it, not only do I have a personal library, it goes with me everywhere and I can revisit old friends in stories I’ve read dozens of times. I also have the ability to listen to a book via my Kindle. This is a huge help when I’m walking the dog, traveling, doing chores, or whatever because I don’t have to pause the story. I can switch between the ebook and the audiobook seamlessly. Hallelujah, and thank sweet baby Jesus in his manger!

I Still Borrow Books

I not only have the ability to purchase books, I have the ability to borrow books from my library via the Libby app and thru my Kindle Unlimited subscription. Borrowing digital books allows me to try out new authors, as well as established authors I didn’t have time to try out before. As a result, I am loading up my digital library every week!

As of this moment, my personal library has a little over 500 books in both ebook and audiobook formats. I own most of what is in my Kindle and Audible library and I’m adding to that as often as I can without bankrupting myself. My friends tell me I have a problem and threaten me with an intervention. I tell them I’m perfectly fine with my reading/listening addiction and don’t feel an intervention is necessary.

Over the course of writing this blog and sharing my daily adventures with you, I will be sharing my reading adventures via book reviews. I will share with you my thoughts on the book itself and the narration of the audio version of the book as well. Some reviews will be of older books because I’m just now getting around to having the time to read them. Some reviews will be of new releases just out. Either way, I hope you’ll hear me out and let me know if you read the book or not. And if you have, I hope you’ll let me know your thoughts. But please….do NOT send me a review. I just want to know if you like it or not, and why.