Read it or unhaul it challenge - Summer 2026

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I haven't done this challenge in a while. It's definitely time. Today we read three books at random and decide whether or not they stay in my personal library. 



The rules of this challenge are simple. I picked three random books from "the unread" tab of my book inventory (not including the series I collect). I read them or DNF them. I decide what to do with them at the end of the challenge. I chose three, a good number to handle for one blog. I can do up to five if I DNF two in a row (a rule I added this past year), but today I'm just doing three. That's about it for rules. I'm going to go one book at a time. 

If you take on this challenge, it is a good rule of thumb to read ten percent or four to five chapters before making a decision. Unless, of course, you hate it already, then you know what to do. I recommend this challenge to book dragons like me. We hoard books, but don't always read them all. We need space constantly for books. This will help you keep space open for books you love. Try it if you need to declutter your bookshelf. 


The Mysterious World of Agatha Christie by Jeffrey Feinman



First of all, this biography might be out of date. It was written while she was alive and not talking to people about her life. One writer tried to write a biography of her while she was not very social. At this point, a better biography surely exists. 

Second of all, it was boring. A fascinating woman should not be rendered boring by a person writing their biography. I read two chapters. I stopped reading it and never opened it again. It's in a little library now for someone else to read. 


The Poison Pool by Patricia Hall


This was another book I just couldn't get into. It wasn't for me. I was bored, again. This mystery is about a man who died on a dark night. I barely met the investigator before deciding I was done. This, too, was in the little library later on. Not much else to say. It's no longer in my library. 


Josiah Reynolds Mystery 1 by Abigail Keam

The first Josiah Reynolds mystery is called Death By A Honeybee and it is amazing. I would call it a suspense with a cozy mystery feel. The ending of the book is insane and I'm glad I have a three pack of the mystery set. I'm not spoiling it. I will note that one character does try to assault our main woman, but it is not a rape scene, just a lot of unhinged from a character that loses it. 

Basic plot, Josiah Reynolds (a woman beekeeper in Kentucky) finds a man dead face-first in her hives. She is then framed for the man's murder when they identify the man as a competitor in the beekeeping field. Read the rest yourself. Five stars, an excellent read for a lazy afternoon. 


Conclusion

I no longer have two of the three books. I found one good one and that was a win for me. The whole point of this exercise is to read what I own, then dump what I don't. If you are a book dragon like me, please try this. It is a good for you to read what you own. 

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Morrow is released! This novella is the story of two women writing a family history for the Morrow family. They find a nasty secret while researching. Will they survive their internship? 

Sign up for my newsletter at this link to get a free first chapter. All you need to plug in is your email. You'll also get a free first chapter of Wrenville, my first novel. 


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