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: Masquerade Party Murder (Juniper Holiday, #4) by Leighann Dobbs

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Masquerade Party Murder (Juniper Holiday, #4) opens with Juniper Holiday setting up for her New Years Eve party, but the party goes horribly awry during the fireworks when the mayor is found dead . . . killed by a gunshot.  Juniper must find out who the murderer is and clear her dear friend's name.

I have absolutely fallen in love with the Juniper Holiday book series by Leighann Dobbs.  The books in this series are the perfect beach read and super fun.  And, if I get in a funk while reading, these books definitely pull me out of that funk.  Masquerade Party Murder definitely pulled me out of a reading funk.

What's great about this series is that you don't have to read them in order, although it definitely helps, and Masquerade Party Murder can be read as a stand alone book like the rest in the series.  Even though this is a cozy mystery, there are some fantasy elements in the story lines . . . witches and werewolves play a part, and of course, ghosts do as well.  If you're not a fan of fantasy, you don't have to worry as the witches and werewolves aren't in the forefront of the story.
 
I love the characters, especially Juniper and Victoria and even Detective Mallard.  In fact, I keep waiting for Victoria and the detective start dating and fall in love.  If that happens, and I think it will, it will probably not happen for several books . . . just a guess.

There were a few red herrings in the story, which I definitely fell for in my guessing of who did it.  However, when a certain piece of evidence is introduced, it confirmed my original guess of who the killer was, and I was mad at myself for being led astray.  

Five out of five stars is what I gave Masquerade Party Murder (Juniper Holiday, #4) by Leighann Dobbs.  I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the books in the series, and I hope there are many more.  If you enjoyed this book, I recommend reading the Lucy Stone book series by Leslie Meier.

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