April's Cat Who Challenge

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April's Cat Who Challenge

1lowelibrary
Edited: Nov 15, 2019, 7:55 pm

This is my first year doing this challenge although I have been doing the Goodreads challenge for years.

I will be basing my challenge on The Cat Who series by Lilian Jackson Braun

I am doing 12 categories of my own.

CATS and KITS will be counted in the appropriate categories.

2lowelibrary
Edited: Jan 2, 2020, 9:31 pm



THE CAT WHO SERIES (Lilian Jackson Braun)

I have now accumulated the whole series and plan on reading it in order.

1. The Cat Who Could Read Backwards
2. The Cat Who Ate Danish Modern
3. The Cat Who Turned On And Off
4. The Cat Who Saw Red
5. The Cat Who Played Brahms
6. The Cat Who Played Post Office
7. The Cat Who Knew Shakespeare
8. The Cat Who Sniffed Glue
9. The Cat Who Went Underground

Yearlong companion read. I received this book as a Christmas gift and decided to read the corresponding chapter along with the books.

The Cat Who...Cookbook by Julie Murphy & Sally Abney Stempinski

3lowelibrary
Edited: Jan 1, 2020, 2:44 pm



THE CAT WHO LOVED CATS

This is where I will do the CATs and KIT I have chosen. I will try to do them monthly (1 per CAT or KIT)

CalendarCat

January (January 31st) Backwards Day The Cat Who Read Backwards by Lilian Jackson Braun
February (February 19th) Chocolate Mint Day and (February 14th) Valentine's Day Chocolate: The Consuming Passion by Sandra Boynton
March (March 30th) Doctor Day - Trust Me, I'm Dr. Ozzy by Ozzy Osbourne
April (April 11th) National Pet Day - A Letter to My Cat by Lisa Erspamer
May (May 12th) Mother's Day and (May 13th) Apple Pie Day - Mom, Apple Pie and Murder edited by Nancy Pickard
June (June 21st) Summer Solstice - Once Upon A Summer by Janette Oke
July (July 6th) Fried Chicken Day - Chicken Poop In My Bowl by John M. Irvin
August (August 6th) Piers Anthony birthday and (August 9th) Indigenous People Day - Tales From The Great Turtle edited by Piers Anthony and Richard Gilliam
September (September 9th) Teddy Bear Day - Teddy Bear Stories For Grown-Ups by Catherine Taylor
October (October 31st) Halloween - Vampires, Bones and Treacle Scones by Kaitlyn Dunnett
November (November 4th) King Tut Day - The Murder of King Tut by James Patterson
December (December 22nd) Winter Solstice - Winter Is Not Forever by Janette Oke

RandomCat

January (Your name in print) Lethal White by Robert Galbraith -- the client's name is Billy (my son's name).
February (Read a book about travel, a trip, a holiday or one that has one of those words in the title) Santa Cruise by Mary Higgins Clark and Carol Higgins Clark
March (Brexit Madness - read a book set in one of the countries of the European Union) Angels & Demons by Dan Brown
April (Easter Greetings from the Rooster)
May (I Could Have Danced All Night) Dancing Shoes and Honky-Tonk Blues by LuAnn McLane
June (pick a card, any card) (4 of Spades) - Four Past Midnight by Stephen King
July (all about birds) - Slow Death by Rubber Duck by Rick Smith & Bruce Lourie
August (back to school) - Charlotte's Web by E.B. White
September (Equinox) - The Winds Of Autumn by Janette Oke
October (Knock-offs, Follow-Ups, Tributes, Parodies) The Cat Who Killed Lilian Jackson Braun by Robert Kaplow
November (Childhood Memories) Egyptian Museum Berlin by Biri Fay
December (title begins with letters in December) - A Bride For Christmas by Heather Graham

ScaredyKit

January (NPR 100 Best Horror Stories List or 100 Killer Thrillers List) The Collector by John Fowles
February (The Corporeal Undead) I'm The Vampire, That's Why by Michelle Bardsley
March (True Crime) The Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann
April (Chills and Thrills with Modern Horror/Thrillers (2014 - 2019)) The Fireman by Joe Hill published 2016
May (Children's Horror (or Horrific Children)
June (Technothrillers) Brimstone by Douglas Preston and Lee Child
July (Vacation Month (read horror/thriller of your choice)) The Whisper Man by Alex North
August (Gothic) Vampyres of Hollywood by Adrienne Barbeau and Michael Scott
September (Ghosts & Hauntings) Haunted Oklahoma City by Jeff Provine
October (Monsters & Creatures) Bogeyman by Gayle Wilson
November (Stephen King and Family) The Institute by Stephen King
December (Small Press/Indie (or catch up on a previous category)) Thirst by Dania Deschamps

4lowelibrary
Edited: Nov 15, 2019, 9:54 pm



THE CAT WHO WENT NATIVE

This is where I start reading my vast collection of Native American books

1. American Indian Love Stories by Herman Grey
2. Legends of Wailua by Walter J Smith
3. Tales From The Great Turtle edited by Piers Anthony and Richard Gilliam

5lowelibrary
Edited: Nov 15, 2019, 9:57 pm



THE CAT WHO DID IT

This is where I dive into the dark world of my husband's true crime collection (at least 2)

1. Captured: Inside the World of Celebrity Trials by Mona Shafer Edwards
2. Killers of The Flower Moon by David Grann
3. The Murder of King Tut by James Patterson

6lowelibrary
Edited: Dec 1, 2019, 12:04 am



THE CAT WHO SAW SANTA

This is where I read all the books I received as SantaThing gifts in 2018 (my goal is all 5 of them)

1. Curiosity Thrilled The Cat by Sofie Kelly
2. Murder Past Due by Miranda James

7lowelibrary
Edited: Nov 15, 2019, 10:05 pm


THE CAT WHO GOT BIT

This is where I will list the vampire and werewolf books I read

1. I'm The Vampire, That's Why by Michelle Bardsley

8lowelibrary
Edited: Nov 13, 2019, 2:45 pm

9lowelibrary
Edited: Nov 13, 2019, 2:45 pm



THE CAT WHO CROWED

This is for all the Early Reviewer books I receive in 2019 (I read and review every one I receive)

1. Rattlesnake & Son by Jonathan Miller
2. Amber Fang: Hunted by Arthur Slade
3. The Diary: Book One of Cursed by S. L. Weiss
4. Coming Back by K.L. Denman
5. Vow Of Justice by Lynette Easton
6. Protecting Tanner Hollow by Lynette Easton

10lowelibrary
Edited: Jan 2, 2020, 7:32 pm



THE CAT WHO SANG

This is books written by musicians

1. Me: Elton John by Elton John
2. Trust Me, I'm Dr. Ozzy by Ozzy Osbourne

11lowelibrary
Edited: Dec 27, 2019, 10:15 pm



THE CAT WHO GOT SERIOUS

This is for reading the next books in a series.

1. Code of Valor by Lynette Eason book 3 of Blue Justice series
2. Lethal White by Robert Galbraith book 4 of the Cormoran Strike series
3. The Winds of Autumn by Janette Oke book 2 of Seasons of the Heart
4. Winter Is Not Forever by Janette Oke book 3 of Seasons of the Heart

16lowelibrary
Edited: Jul 24, 2019, 1:37 pm

This message has been deleted by its author.

17Jackie_K
Dec 25, 2018, 1:39 pm

Welcome! This looks like a really clever set-up :)

18Tess_W
Dec 25, 2018, 6:07 pm

Welcome and good luck with your cats!

19rabbitprincess
Dec 26, 2018, 12:58 am

Great idea for a theme! Have fun!

20lkernagh
Dec 26, 2018, 12:53 pm

Welcome to the challenge! What a creative cat theme you have set up!

21Zozette
Edited: Dec 26, 2018, 2:40 pm

Great theme. I hope you have a wonderful reading year.

I have read the first 9 Cat Who books.

In the last two years of her life I bought my mother the entire Cat Who collection bit by bit. I believe they were the only books she actually read through that period. She really enjoyed them as she loved mysteries and she loved cats. She died about a month after finishing the last one.

After her death I gave all the books away to another lady who was a fan and was having trouble finding/affording all the books.

22majkia
Dec 26, 2018, 4:03 pm

Very nice theme! Good luck with your reading. Hope it is all you wish it to be.

23The_Hibernator
Dec 31, 2018, 7:23 am

Love the cats! Happy New Year!

24thornton37814
Dec 31, 2018, 11:56 am

Love all the cats!

25Tess_W
Dec 31, 2018, 2:52 pm

26thornton37814
Dec 31, 2018, 8:45 pm

I love your theme!

27hailelib
Dec 31, 2018, 8:52 pm

Truly great cat pictures.

And a Happy New Year.

28LittleTaiko
Jan 1, 2019, 2:02 pm

Fun set up! Hope you have a great reading year.

29MissWatson
Jan 3, 2019, 9:45 am

Such a clever idea! Enjoy your reading year!

30LisaMorr
Jan 4, 2019, 8:49 am

Love your set-up - great pictures! I'll be following along.

31DeltaQueen50
Jan 5, 2019, 2:14 pm

Great theme and pictures!

32lowelibrary
Edited: Jan 2, 2020, 7:31 pm

JANUARY READS

1. Lethal White by Robert Galbraith 4 stars. My least favorite of the Cormoran Strike novels.
2. Book Love by Debbie Tung 5 stars. A cute little graphic novel about a girl and her love of books
3. Rattlesnake & Son by Jonathan Miller 4 stars. Easy read. It would have been 3 1/2 stars if not for the unexpected twist.
4. Miracle On 34th Street: A Hollywood Classic by Sarah Parker Danielson 5 stars. Just a book with photos and stills from the classic movie.
5. The Collector by John Fowles 3 stars. It probably was a good book for its time. Predictable for me and have read a lot better in the genre.
6. The Cat Who Could Read Backwards by Lilian Jackson Braun 4.5 stars. Reread of this book. I miss Yum Yum.
7. Curiosity Thrilled The Cat by Sofie Kelly 5 stars. Love Hercules and Owen. I can't wait to get the next adventure.


7 books read this month

BEST BOOK Book Love

WORST BOOK The Collector

TOTAL BOOKS FOR YEAR: 7

33VivienneR
Jan 25, 2019, 9:24 pm

Beautiful theme! Great idea!

Sorry to hear Lethal White was your least favourite of the series. It seems been waiting for this one for a long time.

34christina_reads
Jan 28, 2019, 11:51 am

>32 lowelibrary: I love "Miracle on 34th Street"! Sounds like that book is worth a look.

35lowelibrary
Edited: Jan 28, 2019, 1:53 pm

>christina_reads It is worth it. A large coffee table size.

36lowelibrary
Edited: May 31, 2019, 12:51 am

FEBRUARY READS

1. The Cat Who Ate Danish Modern by Lilian Jackson Braun 5 stars. The arrival of Yum Yum. The interaction between Qwill and the cats are the reason I fell in love with this series in the first place.
2. Chocolate: The Consuming Passion by Sandra Boynton 2.5 stars. A little simple book. Not what I was expecting.
3. The Cat Who Turned On And Off by Lilian Jackson Braun 5 stars. Classic. The introduction of Mrs. Cobb.
4. Santa Cruise by Mary Higgins Clark and Carol Higgins Clark 4 stars. Good buildup and story but ending was predictable
5. I'm The Vampire, That's Why by Michelle Bardsley 3 stars. A paranormal romance. I just don't enjoy a romance with a lot of sex scenes.
6. You're My Little Cuddle Bug by Nicola Edwards 5 stars. Just a cute board book given as a Valentine from my husband
7. The Cat Who Saw Red by Lilian Jackson Braun 5 stars. Another adventure for Koko and Yum Yum.
8. Beast: A Tale of Love and Revenge by Lisa Jensen 4.5 stars. A retelling of the fairy tale Beauty & the Beast.
9. Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald - The Original Screenplay by J. K. Rowling 5 stars. I will never not love the Wizarding World.

9 books read this month

BEST BOOK Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald - The Original Screenplay

WORST BOOK Chocolate: The Consuming Passion

TOTAL BOOKS FOR YEAR: 16

37lowelibrary
Edited: May 10, 2019, 1:20 am

MARCH READS

1. The Killers Of The Flower Moon by David Grann 5 stars. Very well written story of a tragic fact of American Indian life.
2. Amber Fang: Hunted by Arthur Slade 4.5 stars. Very easy read. YA vampire series.
3. Trust Me, I'm Dr. Ozzy by Ozzy Osbourne 2.5 stars. Medical advice from Ozzy Osbourne. Enough said.
4. Angels & Demons by Dan Brown 4.5 stars. The prequel to The DaVinci Code. Thought I had it figured it out then plot twist.
5. American Indian Love Stories by Herman Grey 2 stars. Stories are generic and not well written
6. The Cat Who Played Brahms by Lilian Jackson Braun 5 stars. Qwill and the cats finally arrive in Moose County.

6 books read this month

BEST BOOK The Killers Of The Flower Moon

WORST BOOK American Indian Love Stories

TOTAL BOOKS FOR YEAR: 22

38Zozette
Mar 5, 2019, 7:58 pm

I though The Killers of the Flower Moon was an excellent, well researched book.

39Tess_W
Mar 6, 2019, 2:56 am

>37 lowelibrary: On my ereader to read!

40lowelibrary
Edited: Sep 26, 2019, 6:40 pm

APRIL READS

1. Sh*t My Dad Says by Justin Halpern 4.5 stars. A little memoir with quirky sayings.
2. The Fifth Petal by Brunonia Barry 4 stars. Good little story. Could not decide if it was a mystery or not.
3. Georgie by Robert Bright 1 star. Reread of a childhood favorite. Did not hold up.
4. Gus Was A Friendly Ghost by Jane Thayer 5 stars. Another childhood favorite. Gus is my favorite ghost.
5. The Diary: Book One of Cursed by S. L. Weiss 2.5 stars. Not very good debut novel.
6. A Letter to My Cat by Lisa Erspamer 4.5 stars. Cute little stories from owners to cats. Made me love mine more.
7. The Fireman by Joe Hill 4 stars. Direction of the story kept changing as it went along as soon as you followed the plot.

7 books read this month

BEST BOOK Gus Was A Friendly Ghost

WORST BOOK Georgie

TOTAL BOOKS FOR YEAR: 29

41lowelibrary
Edited: Jul 24, 2019, 1:38 pm

MAY READS

1. The Trap by Tabitha King 1/2 star. Would have been a DNF if I didn't finish everything I read.
2. Cat Laughs by Gary Patterson 2 stars. Didn't make me laugh.
3. Just For Elephants by Carol Buckley 4 stars. Cute story of elephant reunion.
4. A Nearly Normal Family by M.T. Edvardsson 4 stars. Well written family mystery.
5. Mom, Apple Pie and Murder edited by Nancy Pickard 3 stars. A collection of short stories. Most average a few good.
6. The Five Chinese Brothers by Claire Huchet Bishop 5 stars. A reread of an old childhood favorite.

6 books read this month

BEST BOOK The Five Chinese Brothers

WORST BOOK The Trap

TOTAL BOOKS FOR YEAR: 35

42lowelibrary
Edited: Sep 6, 2019, 1:33 am

JUNE READS

1. Brimstone by Douglas Preston and Lee Child 3 1/2 stars. The story was not cohesively put together for me.
2. The Little Black Book of Dirty Jokes by Evelyn Beilenson 4 stars. Mostly funny dirty jokes.
3. Once Upon A Summer by Janette Oke 3 1/2 stars. Easy little summer read.
4. Four Past Midnight by Stephen King 3 1/2 stars. Enjoyed 3 of the 4 stories.

4 books read this month

BEST BOOK The Little Black Book of Dirty Jokes

WORST BOOK Four Past Midnight

TOTAL BOOKS FOR YEAR: 39

43lowelibrary
Edited: Sep 6, 2019, 1:33 am

JULY READS

1. Chicken Poop In My Bowl by John M Irvin 1 1/2 stars. Old corny jokes, nothing new.
2. Coming Back by K.L. Denman 4 1/2 stars. Short PTSD story.
3. Slow Death By Rubber Duck by Rick Smith & Bruce Lourie 3 1/2 stars. Dangers of chemicals in products.
4. The Lady and the Chocolate by Edward Monkton 5 stars. Why we need to eat chocolate answered forever.
5. Code of Valor by Lynette Easton 5 stars. Well paced and intriguing. Love the St. John's.
6. Legends of Wailua by Walter J Smith 2 stars. Advertises as legend stories, but more of a tour guide book.
7. Vow of Justice by Lynette Eason 3 1/2 stars. Another St John brother. No spark.
8. The Houses of Hogwarts: Cinematic Guide by Scholastic Inc 3 stars. Movie companion book
9. The Whisper Man by Alex North 5 stars. That ending. Wow.

9 books read this month

BEST BOOK The Whisper Man

WORST BOOK Chicken Poop In My Bowl

TOTAL BOOKS FOR YEAR: 48

44lowelibrary
Edited: Sep 26, 2019, 6:44 pm

AUGUST READS

1. Charlotte's Web by E.B. White 5 stars. Still made me cry.
2. Murder Past Due by Miranda James 4.5 stars. Well written cozy mystery.
3. Vampyres of Hollywood by Adrienne Barbeau and Michael Scott 3 stars. Vampyre mystery. Kept loosing interest.
4. Tales From The Great Turtle edited by Piers Anthony and Richard Gilliam 3 stars. Fantasy short stories of Native American culture.

4 books read this month

BEST BOOK Charlotte's Web

WORST BOOK Tales From The Great Turtle

TOTAL BOOKS FOR YEAR: 52

45lowelibrary
Edited: Oct 3, 2019, 11:44 pm

SEPTEMBER READS

1. The Cat Who Played Post Office by Lillian Jackson Braun 5 stars. KoKo and Yum Yum sort mail.
2. It's Not Easy Being Green: And Other Things To Consider by Jim Henson 2 stars. Quotations from and about Jim Henson
3. Teddy Bear Stories For Grown-Ups by Catherine Taylor 2 1/2 stars. Short adventures starring teddy bears.
4. Haunted Oklahoma City by Jeff Provine 3 stars. Great on history, lacking on ghosts.
5. The Winds Of Autumn by Janette Oke 4.5 stars. A little more preachy than the first book.
6. The History Of The World According To Facebook by Wylie Overstreet 3 stars. Facebook style history quotes. Non PC

books read this month

BEST BOOK The Cat Who Played Post Office

WORST BOOK It's Not Easy Being Green

TOTAL BOOKS FOR YEAR: 58

46lowelibrary
Edited: Jan 1, 2020, 2:38 pm

OCTOBER READS

1. The Cat Who Knew Shakespeare by Lilian Jackson Braun 4 stars. Mrs. Cobb gets married and the mansion burns.
2. The Cat Who Killed Lilian Jackson Braun by Robert Kaplow 1/2 star. a bad unfunny overly sexual parody of the Cat Who series
3. Vampires, Bones and Treacle Scones by Kaitlyn Dunnett 3 stars. Focused more on the characters than the mystery.
4. Bogeyman by Gayle Wilson 4 stars. A 25-year-old murder gets solved.
5. Protecting Tanner Hollow by Lynette Easton 4 1/2 stars. New town, new characters and Derek St. John.
6. The Cat Who Sniffed Glue by Lilian Jackson Braun 4 1/2 stars. The beginning of the Qwill Pen. KoKo is not fooled.

books read this month

BEST BOOK Protecting Tanner Hollow

WORST BOOK The Cat Who Killed Lilian Jackson Braun

TOTAL BOOKS FOR YEAR: 64

47lowelibrary
Edited: Oct 27, 2022, 9:55 pm

NOVEMBER READS

1. Captured: Inside The World Of Celebrity Trials by Mona Shafer Edwards 2 1/2 stars. Courtroom pictures and summaries by a court artist.
2. The Cat Who Went Underground by Lilian Jackson Braun 3 1/2 stars. Boring tale of misadventures at the lake cabin.
3. Me: Elton John by Elton John 5 stars. Great easy read of Sir Elton's life.
4. The Institute by Stephen King 5 stars. Grabs you quick and holds on til the end.
5. Egyptian Museum Berlin by Biri Fay 3 stars. Background on the pieces in the Egyptian Museum Berlin
6. The Murder of King Tut by James Patterson 3 1/2 stars. Assumptions about the death of King Tut.
7. Dancing Shoes and Honky-Tonk Blues by LuAnn McLane 2 1/2 stars. Quirky romance. Cute idea too much sex.

books read this month

BEST BOOK Me: Elton John

WORST BOOK Dancing Shoes and Honky-Tonk Blues

TOTAL BOOKS FOR YEAR: 71

48lowelibrary
Edited: Oct 27, 2022, 10:05 pm

DECEMBER READS

1. Winter Is Not Forever by Janette Oke 4 1/2 stars. Continuing the saga. A little better than the last
2. ICE At The Ends of the Earth by Ira Meyer 4 1/2 stars. Photographs of Antarctica
3. Thirst by Dania Deschamps 1 1/2 stars. The story jumped everywhere. Unnecessary sexual content.
4. A Bride By Christmas by Heather Graham 4 stars. 3 cute Christmas love stories.
5. Loading Penguin Hugs by Jacqueline Chen 4 1/2 stars. Cute little motivational cartoons.

books read this month

BEST BOOK Winter Is Not Foerver by Janette Oke

WORST BOOK Thirst by Dania Deschamps

TOTAL BOOKS FOR YEAR: 76

49thornton37814
Dec 7, 2019, 12:03 pm

>46 lowelibrary: Wasn't The Cat Who Killed Lilian Jackson Braun just dreadful? So completely not in tune with the series.

50lowelibrary
Edited: Dec 9, 2019, 1:37 pm

>49 thornton37814: It was absolutely horrible. I barely finished it.

51thornton37814
Dec 9, 2019, 5:50 pm

>50 lowelibrary: I think I abandoned it but left the same rating you did.

52lowelibrary
Dec 27, 2019, 10:21 pm

The Best and Worst Books of the Year

The Worst Book is The Cat Who Killed Lilian Jackson Braun by Robert Kaplow

The Best Book is The Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann