2026 Holiday Reading Challenge | The Running Bibliophile

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Who doesn’t love a good challenge, especially when it pushes you to read outside your comfort zone or discover a new author? I’ve always wanted to join a reading challenge or reading bingo, but so many of them feel repetitive. So, I decided to create something a little different. It doesn’t mean a challenge like this isn’t out there; I just haven’t come across one myself. Introducing The Running Bibliophile’s 2026 Holiday Reading Challenge, a fun and unique way to expand your reading list while celebrating the spirit of the year. This challenge features 14 books of your choice, with one key twist: each book’s plot must revolve around the specific holiday mentioned. The challenge runs for January 1 through January 31, 2026. To keep things exciting, you may not duplicate any books on the list. By the time you've completed the challenge, you will have read 14 new books to diversify your reading list. To kick things off, the first prompt is simple: choose any holiday-themed book as l...
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Book Review: Murder Ties The Knot (A Haunted Souvenir Shop Mystery, #4) by Christy Fifield

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book review murder ties the knot by christy fifield

Murder Ties The Knot (A Haunted Souvenir Shop Mystery, #4) by Christy Fifield takes place in Keyhole Bay, Florida and souvenir shop owner Glory Martine tries to pick up a quilt from a vendor in Alabama. However, the vendor and her husband aren't home and are missing and two dead men are found at their house the next day.

This cozy mystery series has been a favorite of mine, but I have to say that this installment is my least favorite. There really isn't much to the mystery sections of the story, and the rest of the storyline just felt a bit flat and forced to me. 

As far as suspects go, there really weren't too many. In fact, two men randomly show up in the driveway while Karen and Glory were waiting for Beth and Everett. The men take Karen's cell phone and force Glory into their truck only to drop her off at the end of the driveway and put the cell phone in the mailbox. It was very anti-climatic and not quite believable. I felt like Fifield was trying to add other suspects in other than Beth and Everett and didn't know quite how to accomplish it.

With all that being said, I think Christy Fifield did a great job portraying small town living with the residents being suspicious of outsiders. The author also did a nice job in tying up the other mystery of finding Sly's lost love, and I didn't see that part coming.

All in all, I enjoyed Murder Ties The Knot (A Haunted Souvenir Shop, #4) by Christy Fifield well enough and gave it three out of five stars. If you enjoyed this book, I recommend Homicide in Hardcover (Bibliophile Mystery, #1) by Kate Carlisle.

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