I'm down to just one book, number 8 on the list I believe.  Giving an author a second chance.  I'm not sure what I'm going to read but I think I'll go with Barbara Hambly's first Ben January mystery, "A Free Man of Color".  My godmother gave me the book several years ago because she LOVES Barbara Hambly and thought I'd enjoy it.  I tried but it didn't sing to me.  I may have been in a bad mood.  I'll see if it strikes my fancy this time around.

What do you have left on the list?

I also have #8 left, the second chance one. I am going to read The Last Templar by Michael Jecks for that one...I am a lover of medieval mysteries and really wanted to like the one entry in that series I read a few years ago--I did finish it but was bored with it. This one is the very first in the series.

I have #3 (a) left as well--the extra challenge for historical mystery readers, to pick one in a different place/time than you've read before. I have Boris Akunin's Sister Pelagia and the White Bulldog here for that. Will get to them eventually!

Cheryl

Cheryl, I never made it through "The Last Templar" and always sort of wondered if Michael Jecks was just suffering from first bookitis.  He's written plenty and people seem to like his stuff but that first book was a tough one.

Well then I don't hold much promise for it, since we seem to like a lot of the same things, LeeAnne. But I will try to keep an open mind!

Cheryl

Mine is "A book with the word 'Blood' or 'Bloody' in the title."

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Blood Work by Michael Connelly

Blood Memory by Greg Isles

Blood Test by Jonathan Kellerman

Blood From a Stone by Donna Leon

A Taint in the Blood by Dana Stabenow

Payment in Blood by Elizabeth George

Big City, Bad Blood by Sean Chercover (highly recommended)

Blood Trail by C.J. Box

A Fountain Filled with Blood by Julia Spencer-Fleming

The Color of Blood by Declan Hughes

The Wire in the Blood by Val McDermid

etc etc etc  The only one of those I've actually read is the Sean Chercover one....

FYI: Type in "Blood" on Amazon's search, click "books" and then "Mystery/Thrillers" and there's 28,000+ results. Methinks this one is too easy,

actually. LOL

Cheryl

I thought Blood Memory by Greg Isles was very good. You might want to try it out.

I guess I should have said that I would like a book with the word "Blood" in the title-but is not in the middle of a series!  I don't want to read several books in order to get to the one I need.

I have read Spencer-Fleming, George, and Vargas before and don't want to re-read those.  I don't like Donna Leon.  I will take a look at the other suggestions!

Big City, Bad Blood is the first of a series, Deborahi. And ::gasp:: how can you not like Donna Leon!? Infidel! ::grinning::

Cheryl

Thanks!

I tried to read Doctored Evidence.   It was a few months after a bad trip to Venice and other parts of Italy (public transit strikes, too many tourists crowding around, etc.)  so I think it was not a good choice at the time.  Now, when I look at her books it still makes me tense,  I know, I should let it go and try again. 

Maybe in the challenge next year we can keep the "give an author a second chance?"  I may go back to her :)

Thanks for letting me know about Big City, Bad Blood!

I, too, just have one book to go and it's Ruling Passion by Reginald Hill. Don't think I will complete the bonus though. Since we have moved, there is sooo much to do. I'm surprised that I've managed to read what I have, as well as other books that were " calling to me". Also am still working on finishing up the HF reading challenge.

BTW, I completed "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" and I tried to check the WL's of a lot of people on this forum before I post it - couldn't find any. Prior to my posting it in the acceptable thread, I thought that I would just mention it here first. If interested, PM me!!

Jeanne

I've got to get to Dragon Tattoo soon...I got the second one in that series months ago as an ARC to review and it's already been released and I haven't even read the first one yet!! LOL

Cheryl

I have "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" sitting right here in front of me.  I need to read it too.

Well, I've checked beaucoup WL's of people in this forum and don't see The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, so I can only guess that whoever wants it, has it, therefore, I will be posting it the official way!