YULE SPIRIT 2025

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✅CHRISTMAS TREE LEVEL: 5-6 books✅

Titles Accomplished:

1. HER SILENT NIGHT by H. K. Christie. YuleSpirit #1

2. MURDER AT HOLLY HOUSE by Denzil Myrick. In Progress.

3. THE RELUCTANT BELSNICKEL OF OPELT'S WOODS by Kathleen Valentine. Family Saga Cozy, Pennsylvania Dutch. YuleSpirit #2

4. BELSNICKEL: A WINTER HORROR TALE by James Yates. YuleSpirit #3

5. I BOUGHT A HAUNTED THANKSGIVING TABLE by Sam Whittaker (STRANGE HAUNTED PLACES #4).

6. TIME FOR MARGOT TO GO TO BED. Children's Nonfiction/Wildlife.

7. GROUNDHOG SECRETS. Children's Nonfiction/Wildlife.

8. MEET REBA by Stephanie Wheeler. Children Imaginative Inspirational. Publisher Request.

9. GRANDMA'S HOUSE by Amy Tackett. Christmas Horror Novella. YuleSpirit #4

10. WONDER: A STORY OF MIRACLE AND FRIENDSHIP by Alex Podripogora. Children Fantasy.

11. A CHRISTMAS TO DISMEMBER by Addison Moore and Bellamy Bloom. (Country Cottage Inn Mystery Book 12) Christmas Horror Cozy Mystery. YuleSpirit #5.

12. THE CANDY CANE MAN by Chris Archeske. KU VIRTUAL. CHRISTMAS FOLK HORROR. YuleSpirit #6. 5*++

13. BEARS (ACTIVE MINDS: KIDS ASK ABOUT Series). Children Nonfiction.

14. LITTLE FAIRY'S SUMMER PARTY by Daniela Drescher. Children Fantasy.

15. JOLLYLAND by Michelle Powers. Christmas Amusement Park Horror. YuleSpirit #7.

16. RESCUE ROAD by Peter Zheutlin. Nonfiction. For National Mutt Day December 2.

17. THE DOGS WERE RESCUED (AND SO WAS I) by Teresa Rhyne. Nonfiction. For National Mutt Day December 2.

18. PLAY PROUD: FIERCELY FABULOUS QUEER ATHLETES by Rob Sanders. Juvenile Nonfiction.

19. THE CHRISTMAS PARTY by Kathryn Croft. "Locked-room" snowbound Scotland Mystery. YuleSpirit #8.

20. THE CURSED ADVENT CALENDAR by Bill Tarino. YuleSpirit #9.

21. TOURIST SEASON by Brynne Weaver.

22. ONE BY ONE by Freida McFadden.

23. THE KILLING STONES by Ann Cleeves. YuleSpirit #10.

24. HERCULE POIROT'S SILENT NIGHT by Sophie Hannah. Christmas "locked-room" murder. YuleSpirit #11.

25. DEVIL'S NIGHT. Hoopla Virtual.

26. THE HOUSE ON CEDAR STREET. Hoopla Virtual.

27. THIRTY DAYS IN DARKNESS. Hoopla Virtual.

28. THE VILLAGE BEYOND THE MIST. Libby

29. THE NIGHT BEFORE by Jack Dane. Christmas Eve Horror. YuleSpirit #12.

30. A CHRISTMAS TO DIE FOR by Nadija Mujagic. Christmas Horror/Mystery Twists. YuleSpirit #13.

31. TIS THE SEASON TO BE MURDERED by Valerie Wolzen. Cozy Mystery: Christmas Eve to New Year's. A Susan Henshaw Mystery #8 YuleSpirit #14

32. MONKEY STUFF. (Monkey Day December 14)..

33. THE MONKEY WHO WISHED TO BE A DEER. (Monkey Day).

34. THE MONKEY KING by Aaron Shepard (Monkey Day)

35. MADDIX THE SPUNKY MONKEY'S MAGICAL CHRISTMAS BOOK. (Monkey Day) YuleSpirit #15.

36. THE MAD MONKEY KING by Sara Brooke. (Monkey Day).

37. MONKEYS! A KID'S BOOK ABOUT MONKEYS. (Monkey Day)

38. MONKEYS LEARN TO SHARE: PUPPET SHOW. (Monkey Day) 39. MONKEY WITH A TOOL BELT AND THE CRAFTIEST CHRISTMAS EVER. (Monkey Day) YuleSpirit #16.

40. A POLAR BEAR CHRISTMAS by Lucy Bozzi. YuleSpirit #17. 41. CLIVE CUSSLER QUANTUM TEMPEST by Mike Maden (Oregon Files). Libby.

YULE SPIRIT CHALLENGE/READATHON 2024

Christmas Tree Level!

☃️ 1. The Grinch Who Didn't Steal Christmas, Dee Jordan.

2. SISTERS OF THE LOST NATION. NG ARC Mount TBR.

3. CHRISTMAS CRIMES AT THE MYSTERIOUS BOOKSHOP. Libby Virtual.

🎄 4. VENGEANCE FROM BEYOND..Scarestreet.com ARC.

5. BLACK SUN. NG ARC Mount TBR. 🎄 Winter Solstice.

6. WAR DADDY. own new. Adventure/Sahara.

7. SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE CHRISTMAS DEMON. Mount TBR.🎄

8.CHRISTMAS PRESENCE. own Kindle new 🎄

9. HELL FOR THE HOLIDAYS. Mount TBR. Own.🎄

10. SHADOWS AND WHISPERS. Author ARC Release December 5.

11. THE AUTHOR'S GUIDE TO MURDER. Libby Virtual 🎄

12. 🎄THE FRUITCAKE. NG ARC/KU.

13.FELIZ NAVIDEAD. 🎄 KU.

14. ONE WAY: A MARS SHORT STORY. KU.

15. THE ISLAND, Agatha Christie. 🎄Everand Virtual

16. THE ADVENTURE OF THE CHRISTMAS PUDDING, Agatha Christie. Everand Virtual 🎄

17. A DEATH IN THE HOUSE AND OTHER STORIES, Clifford D. Simak. Classic 20th century SF. Everand Virtual

18. WAIT FOR NIGHT. SGJ. Everand Virtual.

19. STERLING CITY. SGJ. Everand Virtual.

20. PERFECT STORM. Libby Virtual. Alaska.

21. Haunted Secrets: Tales of Frank Benedict volume 2. Scarestreet.com ARC

22. THE RIVER AND THE WORLD REMADE. Everand Virtual

23. SMALL MONSTERS. Everand Virtual

24. THE ADVENTURE OF TANDI THE TOUCAN. own Mount TBR.

25. THEODORE AND THE CAT WITH THE MISSING SOCK. own Mount TBR.

26. CHILDREN JOKES AND RIDDLES 4-5-6..own Mount TBR.

27. SAM THE SPEEDY SLOTH. own Mount TBR.

28. THIS WORLD IS FULL OF MONSTERS..Mount TBR.

29. THE BOYFRIEND. KU Virtual

30. THE GIFT. 🎄KU Virtual

31. YOU BETTER WATCH OUT. Libby Virtual 🎄

32. ANANSI AND THE TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS by Gillena Cox.🎄Everand.

33. 🎄Anansi An Unusual Experience by Gillena Cox.

34. 🎄What’s Anansi Up to Now! by Gillena Cox.

35. 🎄 MERRY AND BRIGHT: A VERY KRAMPUS CHRISTMAS by Robert Herold. own, new

36. MONKEY WHO SAVED THE ZOO: CHAOS OF THE GRUMPY PIRATE PENGUIN. Children's.

37. ALL I WANT: A HOLIDAY HORROR STORY by Marie Aitchison..🎄

38.. 🎄TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS MURDER AND MAYHEM. KU Virtual.

39. 🎄MURDER FOR CHRISTMAS. NG Mount TBR.

40. 🎄THE CHRISTMAS JIGSAW MURDERS. Hoopla Virtual

41. THE SHADOW HUNT (THE SHADOW HUNT BOOK 1) Scarestreet.com ARC.

42. SUPERVOLCANO. Hoopla Virtual.

43. 🎄CHRISTMAS AT BASKERVILLE HALL..Mount TBR.

44. 🎄TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS HORROR. own Mount TBR.

45. 🎄25 DAYS. KU Virtual.

46. 🎄A CHRISTMAS TO DIE FOR. Calvin Hill. Hoopla Virtual..

47. 🎄DEATH COMES AT CHRISTMAS (Anthology), ed. Marie O'Regan and Paul Fine.

48. . 🎄THE TWELVE DAYS OF MURDER. own.

49. 🎄XMAS BREAK. KU Virtual/NG

50. 🎄TWELVE STRANGE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS. Everand Virtual.

51. 🎄A GHOST OF CHRISTMAS PRESENT. Own new.

52.🎄THE CHRISTMAS EVE MURDERS. own new

53. 🎄THE MISTLETOE MYSTERY [THE MAID. 2.5]. Libby Virtual.

54. 🎄THE MYSTERY SHOPPER. KU. VIRTUAL

55. 🎄RANGIFER RANGIFER KU VIRTUAL

56. 🎄HONEST TARANDUS KU VIRTUAL

57. 🎄THE LAST YULETIDE KU VIRTUAL

58. 🎄GIVING INC. KU VIRTUAL

59. 🎄THE TWELVE DEATHS OF CHRISTMAS. own new

60. 🎄WARTIME CHRISTMAS (Anthology), own Mount TBR

Total Titles Read: #60

Yule Spirit Read: #42🎄❄🎄

In Progress: 🎄A Lively Midwinter Murder, own, new

🎄The Christmas Murder Game Hoopla Virtual;

🎄Murder on the Christmas Express Hoopla Virtual;

🎄I Found Christmas Lights Slithering Up My Street. Own, new;

Butter Hoopla Virtual.

I'll be continuing Christmastide/Yuletide reads through Twelfth Day. 🎄

I think I'll be reading Christmas Mysteries for Winter's Respite!❄🎄❄

HOHOHOREADATHON 2023

Join! HoHoHo Readathon 2023

1. ECHOES IN THE NIGHT. SCARE STREET ARC.
2. #DEADENDTOURS: ST. RALPH'S HOSPITAL KU VIRTUAL ADOPT-AN-AUTHOR
3. THE CHRISTMAS GUEST. LIBBY VIRTUAL
4. DESTROYER (CYGNUS FIVE BOOK TWO) HOOPLA VIRTUAL SF
5. MISTER LULLABY. AUDIO. EVERAND. VIRTUAL.
6. EXTINCTION. NG ARC. Current. SF.
7. CHRISTMAS GUESTS. Lisa Unger. Libby Virtual
8. GODKILLER. Hannah Kaner. Audio. Everand.
9. WINTER'S GIFTS. Everand Audio. Virtual. SF.
28. DOCTOR WHO: THE DALEK CONTRACT. Everand Audio. Virtual. SF.
29. THE CLIFF HOUSE. Libby Virtual.

YULETIDE SPIRIT Reading Challenge

2023 Yule Spirit

1. DESTROYER (CYGNUS FIVE BOOK TWO) by Alex Oliver. SF.
2. MISTER LULLABY by J. H. Markert. Cosmic Horror/SF. Audio.
3. EXTINCTION by Douglas Preston. Contemporary SF/Thriller.
4. CHRISTMAS GUESTS. Lisa Unger. Libby Virtual
5. GODKILLER. Everand Audio. Virtual
6. WINTER'S GIFTS. Everand Audio. Virtual. SF.
7. DOCTOR WHO: THE DALEK CONTRACT. Everand Audio. Virtual. SF.
8. THE CLIFF HOUSE. Libby Virtual.
9. FIREFAX.. Everand Audio NG.
10. DEAD LETTERS: EPISODES OF EPISTOLARY HORROR. CLP ARC. Release Dec. 1
11. ORBITAL Audio Virtual NG Shelf
12. THE SECOND STRANGER. Libby Virtual
13. AND WHAT CAN WE OFFER YOU TONIGHT? NG AUDIO NG SHELF VIRTUAL SF/SPECULATIVE DECEMBER WOMEN IN SF
14. YULETIDE INVASION (reread, 2022) KU VIRTUAL SF
15. BRYNMORE [graphic] NG ARC. NetGalley Shelf
16. BOOK OF DEATH. Scare Street ARC.
17. "LAYING THE GHOST," Eric Brown. CLARKESWORLD August 2010
18. DEAD SILENCE. Audio Everand Virtual. DECEMBER WOMEN IN SF #2
19. THEY WALKED LIKE MEN. Everand Ebook Virtual. Classic SF #1
20. LINESMAN. Everand Audio Virtual [NG MOUNT TBR].
21. ALEC KERSEY AND THE HAUNTED CHRISTMAS. Everand ebook Virtual
22. DEAD SILENCE. KU Virtual/NG Mount TBR. SF. December Women in SF.
23. THE LAST TRANSMISSION. SF. EVERAND VIRTUAL
24. DOCTOR WHO SYSTEM WIPE. SF. NG MOUNT TBR.
25. DOCTOR WHO THE DROSTEN'S CURSE. SF. NG MOUNT TBR
26. DOCTOR WHO BIG BANG GENERATION. SF. NG MOUNT TBR.
27. WORMWOOD, NEVADA. LIBBY VIRTUAL. SF.
28. "One Last Job," Mount TBR
29. THE ALIEN THAT ATE CHRISTMAS. Mount TBR .
30. A VERY SCALZI CHRISTMAS. NG Mount TBR . (2023 completed)
31. ALIENS LOVE CHRISTMAS TOO . Mount TBR
32. TO CHALLENGE HEAVEN. NG Current. Audio.
33. CHRISTMAS PIE. own.
34. THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS.
*Read 36 (+ 2 in Progress).
11 Christmas Reads + 2 Christmas read 1-2 days prior.
7 Christmas specials watched.*

Review: THE WITCH HITCH by Elizabeth Bass

Elizabeth Bass' Magical Rom-Coms, with recurring characters and that lovely absorbing tension between skepticism and magic-users (Witchcraft) are extraordinarily delightful! I can say these novels are "Magical" in more than one sense! I totally adore them, even though I generally run in the opposite direction from romance. These characters are both so well-rounded and realistic, and it's so easy to find empathy with them. Plenty of Suspenseful tension is present too, and as these characters learn and grow through struggles and adversity, so does their empowerment intensify. [Next Review: LETTER TO THREE WITCHES by Elizabeth Bass]

Review: NOT A CREATURE WAS PURRING

Although my usual reading diet is Horror and Science Fiction and Speculative Fiction, sometimes I need to clear my reading palate (and take a break from scaring myself) so I read mysteries and Cozy mysteries. I don't mind an occasional pleasant ending [though I couldn't tolerate a steady diet] and NOT A CREATURE WAS PURRING brought exactly what I needed: a fun, intriguing, mystery with well-delineated characters, a community suffused with dogs, cats, and Pet lovers, some really worthwhile folks and some we'd wish to avoid, and a clever canine sleuth and stalwart protective feline. There's even a sturdy twist in the denouement which verges toward a more edgy type of Villain than I expected. It's a warm-hearted feel-good suspenseful mystery with a snowy Christmas setting. Just what I needed at the moment.

2021 ALPHABET SOUP CHALLENGE

Read the Alphabet In 2021!

CHRISTMAS SPIRIT & CHRISTMAS READING CHALLENGE 2020

 

@ 2020-christmas-spirit-readingchallenge

November 23, 2020-January 6, 2021

Christmas Tree Level

Christmas Titles Read:

1. NUTS AT CHRISTMAS (British Holiday Comedy)

2. CARFAX HOUSE (British Paranormal Christmas Ghost Story)

3. THE DAUGHTER CLAUSE (Santa Claus Family women's fic)

4. MIDWINTER MURDER by Agatha Christie (short story collection: Christmas,  Yule,  Winter)

5. SNOWED IN by Rhoda Baxter (British Christmas Cozy)

6. "Merry Christmas,  Mr. Babbers " by Mario Guarda

7. THE VISITOR: A CHRISTMAS HORROR NOVELLA by Sergio Gomez 

8. SECRET SANTA by Edward Lorn

Review: TOMES AND TERRIERS by Hilary Avis

5 ++ Cozy Stars

Magic Library Mystery Book 1

I absolutely adore this Cozy! Here's proof: I read an ARC, but quickly pre-ordered because this story is just so good and I can't wait to continue the series! While reading,  I saw an email question "What is your favorite Cozy?" TOMES AND TERRIERS might just be that!

The story [only the first in a new Series!] is suffused with dogs and a magical memory Library and some really wonderful characters,  including our middle-aged protagonist,  her husband, and the dedicated, heartfelt, nurse at the assisted living home. Of course,  not everyone is perfect: there are a couple of grumps, some smartypants, and an eight-year-old con artist. But the combination is heartwarming,  the plot is super-intriguing, and the difficulties are almost insurmountable.  Can't wait for the Sequel!

Review: KILLER CHARDONNAY by Kate Lansing

5 Cozy Stars

Vintner Parker Valentine just wants her new vintage and new wine shop in Boulder,  Colorado,  to open to success. That shouldn't be too much to ask! Yet Grand Opening sees an ugly breakup of a customer couple, dismay of a famous wine critic (there goes the ratings), corked by the sudden unexpected demise of the critic.

This is the Grand Opening that should never have occurred!

Includes recipes and wine-pairing, plus lots of gentle no-fuss education on the art and science of wine-making. 

Review: A CALL FOR KELP by Bree Baker

5 Cozy Stars

Working for saving Bees is a worthwhile environmental cause, but murdering is not an acceptable volunteer option! On tiny barrier island Charm, North Carolina,  excitement and adulation turns to dismay when the star attraction of a Bee documentary is discovered deceased. But intrepid amateur sleuth and tea shop proprietor will find who killed her last link to her beloved late grandmother, or die trying.

Review: MAIN LINE IS MURDER by Donna Huston Murray

5 Stars

First in the Ginger Barnes Cozy Mystery Series,  MAIN LINE IS MURDER is a Philadelphia-setting edgy Cozy. As you read you will discover why I use the term "edgy." Gin Barnes' husband is the newly appointed Head of School at a nearly-failing Main Line private academy,  determined to make the school a success.  Gin does her part by organizing rummage sales (which in this case requires creative thinking) but then discovers a much-disliked staff member,  deceased--in the School.  Before parents withdraw their children en masse,  Gin determines to investigate without letting husband Rip or the police detective realize.

I found this Cozy quite enjoyable [and at times heartwrenching] and anticipate the Series. 

Review: THE LOSS OF A GRANDPARENT TO COVID-19, Gramps

4 Stars 

Be prepared to weep copiously.  A mother and her small son grieve for the beloved grandpa lost to Covid-19, especially  [for the child] because of the quarantine preventing the family's presence.  As they both recall verbally their favorite memories of Gramps, a little peace begins to settle in. 

Review: HOUSE FULL OF LLAMAS by Melissa Winn

4 Stars

This is designed as a bedtime story for young children.  I found it creative, but I think too lengthy for bedtime reads and a little too complex for pre-readers or young (early elementary) readers.