Friday Fun - June 28, 2024

Welcome to my Friday Fun post. This is where I share with three different book parties that post on Fridays: Book Beginnings on Fridays, the Friday 56, and First Line Friday.

This week I have two books to share with you.

I read Beyond the Silence by Tracie Peterson and Kimberley Woodhouse for one of my reading challenges. 

  

I'm currently reading Wings of the Wind by Connilyn Cossette for another one of my reading challenges.

        Book Beginnings on Friday     

(Please join Gilion Dumas for Book Beginnings every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author's name.)

and

First Line Friday

(Please join C arrie for First Line Friday.)

Here are my Book Beginnings/First Line Friday selections:

  Beyond the Silence by Tracie Peterson and Kimberley Woodhouse:

"Far-off screams filled the air and rattled six-year-old Jimmy Colton's bones."

Who's screaming and why? And I sure wasn't expecting to be seeing part of the story through the eyes of a young child. I wasn't sure at first if it would just be the prologue or throughout the story.

Wings of the Wind by Connilyn Cossette

"Forging through the teeming mass of Canaanite soldiers in this vast army camp, I'd never felt more alone."

Knowing this was being told from the female protagonist's POV, I wondered if she felt alone because she was a woman in the army camp and didn't belong there.  

Now for:

The Friday 56

The Friday 56 is normally hosted over at Freda's Voice. But Anne from My Head is Full of Books is taking over for a while. 

Rules:

*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader
(If you have to improvise, that's ok.)
 *Find any sentence, (or few, just don't spoil it) that grab you.
*Post it.
*Add your (url) post below in Linky. Add the post url, not your blog url. It's that simple.

Here are my Friday 56 selections:

Beyond the Silence by Tracie Peterson and Kimberley Woodhouse:
 

"The woman's fiery gaze intensified. 'Woodward Colton. You don't know him, but we do, and it is our duty to intercede. We can't in good conscience allow you to be misled. You simply cannont work for that murderer.'"

Wings of the Wind by Connilyn Cossette:

"Why did it seem like he was looking at my very core, raw and exposed? I broke the connection with the guise of eating the flatbread he had prepared. Once again the taste, like no other, hit my tongue and blocked out any other sensation. A little moan of pleasure slipped out."

Reviews:

Last week I shared two books in my Friday Fun post. Here is the review for one of the books. I still have to finish The Women of Wynton's.:

Dreams on the Horizon by Penny Zeller

Beyond the Silence by Tracie Peterson and Kimberley Woodhouse Review

 

Beyond the Silence is the second book I have read that is a collaberation between Tracie Peterson and Kimberley Woodhouse. Let's just say, I loved it. What an awesome story. It drew me in from the first line and wouldn't let go. It's one of those books where I have to shake myself back to reality when I am forced to put the book down.

This book is told from five different viewpoints. Lillian Porter, who has come out west to California against her grandfather's wishes to take a job as a nanny. Woodward Colton (or Woody) is the man who hired her to watch his son. He has been alone for a year, since his wife's murder. All alone except for his housekeeper, Mrs. Goodman, one of the only people in the area that believes he is innocent of his wife's murder. Jimmy Colton is Woody's mute son who hasn't spoken since he witnessed his mother being murdered. Darwin Longstreet is the villain in the story whom we meet quite early. And Harry is his brother who is slow yet full of innocence and love and loyalty.

There was a good amount of suspense in the story, even though we knew who the nefarious villain was. Faith played an important role in the story. Good reminders against gossip and listening to rumors, and reminders to show love.

And this was a story where someone was wrongfully accused, which I recently discovered is a trope that will grab my attention and not let because I need to see justice come about. It sure tugged on my heart to see the way Woody was being treated, and how that affected all in his family, even the newly arrived Lillian. Another part that touched my heart was how Harry was being treated.

I grew to love these main characters, except for Darwin who I loathed. Yes, loathed. I wasn't a huge fan of quite a few of the townsfolk because of their treatment of Woody.

I loved the twists in the story. There were some things that I anticipated, but quite a few that I did not. The authors brought everything together wonderfully, leaving no loose ends.

It's a wonderful story that I highly recommend.

Dreams on the Horizon by Penny Zeller Review

 

Oh I absolutely LOVED being able to read Mae's story. Mae was first introduced in book one of the series, Over the Horizon. She is the adopted daughter of Paisley and her husband, Tyler, along with Lucy and Albert. Some time has gone by since the first book. The three adopted children have grown and we get to see what they are doing with their lives, plus Paisley and Tyler, who we now know as Mr. and Mrs. Shepherson, had two other children, Ruby and Timothy.

The town of Horizon, Idaho is growing and a spur of the railroad is being built through Horizon onto the next town. Some in Horizon welcome it, other are hesitant, and still others downright disapprove of it. 

Mae Shepherson is the female protagonist in this story. She is blessed to be working at a school for the deaf. The male protagonist is Landon Bennick the son of the owner of the railroad company, and he is here in town to convince the townspeople that the railroad will be a benefit and not a detriment to their town and their way of life. 

Mae and Landon meet, spend time together and become friends as they get to know each other, and each is wondering if there may be something more. But, will a relationship even be possible. They are from different worlds. And he works for the railroad and has to travel a lot. I sure was rooting for their relationship as I came to love their characters. I wanted to see them overcome the obstacles that came their way. Some of which were quite nail-biting events. However, though there is some suspense, the story is just a sweet, historical romance, with lots of fun and faith. I love how important faith is in Penny Zeller's stories. The characters have situations they need to work through, and they grow in their faith. 

I love that the author has done her research and has made the late 1800's come to life. In fact, she even included some situations that she discovered happened in real life. And she included an adorable dog named Beans.

I just loved this book and can't wait until the third book releases. Definitely a book and series I highly recommend. 

I received an ecopy of this book as a member of the launch team and was not required to write a favorable review. These are my own honest thoughts.

Friday Fun - June 21, 2024

Welcome to my Friday Fun post. This is where I share with three different book parties that post on Fridays: Book Beginnings on Fridays, the Friday 56, and First Line Friday.

This week I have two books to share with you.

I am reading an ARC of Dreams on the Horizon by Penny Zeller as a member of the launch team. This book releases next Tuesday. 

I'm also reading an ARC of The Women of Wynton's by Donna Mumma as a member of the launch team. This.book releases on July 1st.

  

        Book Beginnings on Friday     

(Please join Gilion Dumas for Book Beginnings every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author's name.)

and

First Line Friday

(Please join C arrie for First Line Friday.)

Here are my Book Beginnings/First Line Friday selections:

  Dreams on the Horizon by Penny Zeller:

"Sometimes the Lord answered multiple prayers all at once."

That's an encouraging beginning.

The Women of Wynton's by Donna Mumma

"Reserved for Audrey Penault 

Wynton's Department Store

Violators Will Be Towed

Oh, how this sign set the bees a-buzzing in the wives' and mothers' bonnets in Levy City-that and her shiny new 1955 Thunderbird convertible parked beneath it.

Just who is this Audrey and why does she have a special parking spot. 

Now for:

The Friday 56

The Friday 56 is normally hosted over at Freda's Voice. But Anne from My Head is Full of Books is taking over for a while. 

Rules:

*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader
(If you have to improvise, that's ok.)
 *Find any sentence, (or few, just don't spoil it) that grab you.
*Post it.
*Add your (url) post below in Linky. Add the post url, not your blog url. It's that simple.

Here are my Friday 56 selections:

Dreams on the Horizon by Penny Zeller:
 

"Father said nothing, but Landon had a differeent view of things. He promoted safety first, and with the building of the railroad being dangerous at times, he was content with the men moving slower in areas of hazardous terrain, times of inclement wather, and situations where dynamite was used for the construction of tunnels."

Coal Black Lies by Cindy K. Sproles:

"'When he came to me, I told him I didn't have time to notice anything during the show because I was too busy trying to keep my girls from getting squirrely,' Mary Jo added. 'If I had known there was a dead girl in there, I would have grabbed my babies and run home, party dresses and all.'"

Reviews:

Last week I shared two books in my Friday Fun post. Here are the reviews:

Because of You by Hannah Currie

Coal Black Lies by Cindy K. Sproles

Coal Black Lies by Cindy K. Sproles Review

 

Coal Black Lies is the second book I have read by Cindy Sproles and I loved it.

It is rare that I find a book that has a male as the protagonist that doesn't also have the female point of view. But this book was told in first person, from only Joshua's point of view.

He is a man in depair, contemplating suicide (not a spoiler as it is the first line of the book, and I figured some may want the trigger warning), grieving the loss of his only child several years earlier. His wife and he have drifted apart, instead of being there for each other. He has so much rage and hatred and the need for revenge flowing through his veins. All of this is directed toward the Barton's who own the mine where he used to slave away, along with the "Company Store," the only place the mine workers can shop. The owners are power hungry and greedy and he has had enough.

But then a innocent, pure-minded, abandoned, little girl enters their lives and their lives are changed.
Who is this girl? Will they be able to protect her from the evil mine owners? Or does she belong one of them? There are a series of tragedies and near tragedies, hooded figures, and mysteries to figure out. But through it all, Joshua finds that God is working on his heart. But will he be stubborn and remain in his hate-filled ways, or will he allow God to teach him forgiveness and love?

I have to say, Joshua's inner thoughts kept me wondering who he and his wife Raney should trust. Would they make the right decision or be betrayed? I was right there with him trying to figure it out, and the author really did throw in some twists I did not see coming, just like our main characters and their few friends.

An awesome book that I highly recommend.

I received a copy of this book as a member of the launch team and was not required to write a favorable review. These are my own honest thoughts.

Because of You by Hannah Currie Review

 

I was recently introduced to Hannah Curries books when I was on the review team for the first book in her Daughters of Peverall series. When I learned she had written a book that focused on a mission trip I was quite intrigued. Yes, it is different than a princess book, but Because of You is an awesome story. It is geared to young adults, but it is also great for adults to read, especially if one has an interest in missions.

I loved reading about Chloe's trip, especially knowing that the author had gone on a mission trip to Thailand when she was a teenager, and she had included some true-life moments. Seeing some of the preparation Chloe and her team had gone through, in memories, as the story begins when they are on their way to Thailand was quite intriguing. The majority of the story, however, focused on the time the teens are in Thailand working at a refuge for girls. The reader gets to see the hardships that the team dealt with, the sacrifices they made, and the friendships they made with the girls. Such a hard thing to think of the fact that there are girls out there being sold by their families into a life of slavery, girls who end up in brothels, girls who have no hope. Because while there were true orphans in this refuge, there were also ones who were considered orphans as their families didn't want them or couldn't take care of them. But the hope we see through the caretakers of the refuge, knowing there are people out there with the heart for helping these girls, was very moving.

At the same time, we also see how Chloe grows spiritually through this experience. Though her faith is strong already, she still has things she struggles with, don't we all, and it was encouraging to see her turn to the Lord for strength.

I truly enjoyed this book, even though it isn't the usual type of story I read. It was very encouraging, and even entertaining with some awesomely hilarious scenes in among the more serious scenes. And I felt I learned a bit about the culture of Thailand as well.

Definitely a book I recommend.

I received an e-copy of this book as a member of the launch team and was not required to write a favorable review. These are my own honest thoughts.

Friday Fun - June 14, 2024

Welcome to my Friday Fun post. This is where I share with three different book parties that post on Fridays: Book Beginnings on Fridays, the Friday 56, and First Line Friday.

This week I have two books to share with you.

I am reading Because of You by Hannah Currie.

I also just started reading an ARC of Coal Black Lies by Cindy K Sproles as a member of the launch team. This.book releases next Tuesday.

        Book Beginnings on Friday     

(Please join Gilion Dumas for Book Beginnings every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author's name.)

and

First Line Friday

(Please join C arrie for First Line Friday.)

Here are my Book Beginnings/First Line Friday selections:

  Because of You by Hannah Currie:

"This would be the summer that changed my life forever."

Well, that sounds like it could be a positive start to this book.Anticipation. Unless life is going to change in a bad way. 

Coal Black Lies by Cindy K. Sproles:

"I stood rubbing the cool gun barrel over the stubble on my jaw."

For some reason my first thought went to some scruffy looking outlaw looking all menacing. But then I thought it could be more depressing, like someone was contemplating using the gun on themselves. 

Now for:

The Friday 56

The Friday 56 is normally hosted over at Freda's Voice. But Anne from My Head is Full of Books is taking over for a while. 

Rules:

*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader
(If you have to improvise, that's ok.)
 *Find any sentence, (or few, just don't spoil it) that grab you.
*Post it.
*Add your (url) post below in Linky. Add the post url, not your blog url. It's that simple.

Here are my Friday 56 selections:

Because of You by Hannah Currie:
 

"Later, I promised the paths, as if they could hear my adventure-loving heart. I meandered back along the one path I knew, following the sound of women chatting to where Robin and Emily were sorting the food they'd purchased during our unexpected bus detour. If there was any semblance of organization to the process, I couldn't tell at first glance."

Coal Black Lies by Cindy K. Sproles:

"Manny mounted his horse. 'I'll keep my ears open for anything out of the ordinary. If I stay gone much longer, they'll suspect something. You'll be back end of the week?'
'If all goes well.' I nodded.
'I'll meet up with you then. Until then, I'm your eyes and ears on the inside.' Manny shook my hand. 'I wish I could travel with you.'
'Just keep things under your hat. Barton can't know what's going on. And. . . ' I paused.."

Reviews:

Last week I shared two books in my Friday Fun post. I didn't get my reviews posted for them yet, I'm actually not finished the one, but here is my review for The British Booksellers by Kristy Cambron. 

The British Booksellers by Kristy Cambron

The British Booksellers by Kristy Cambron Review

 

Okay, so, I WANTED to love this book. I mean, it has dual timelines. It delves into both WWI and WWII, two timelines that I have come to love reading about. There is a focus on the two bookstores, one run by Charlotte Holt and the other by Amos Darby who have this little "war" going on between the bookshops, instead of the bookstore they had once dreamed have having together. There is a second chance love story (definitely wouldn't classify it as enemies to lovers). Charlotte, an earl's daughter, and Amos, a tenant farmer were close as children, and had fallen in love once upon a time, back before WWI. Though they wouldn't admit the reality of that love as they knew a relationship would never be able to happen in that world. Charlotte indeed was wed to a man she didn't care for, a man who sort of had it in for Amos, partially because he was jealous of the relationship Charlotte and Amos had. During the WWII timeline, Charlotte has remained a war widow and Amos has been living as a recluse.

Though there IS also another love story developing that could possibly be considered “enemies to lovers,” as Jacob Cole, a solicitor from America, has come to England with a lawsuit that will impact their lives, especially that of Eden, Charlotte’s daughter. Yet he remains in England to help out and a relationship starts to develop between him and Eden.

I do love that as we go back and forth between timelines their history is slowly revealed and we see how it has impacted their present.

I loved learning more about WWII. One of the reasons I have started enjoying historical fiction so much is I get to learn things I don't remember learning about in school. I had never heard of the Coventry Blitz though I've learned that it was the "single most concentrated attack on a British city" during WWII. And there were Land Girls who came from London to help on the estate, several ladies who we hear about from time to time in the story, some of whom played a more important role than others.

There is also what seems to be an insignificant side story during the time Amos is a soldier during WWI that ends up playing an intriguing part in the story.

I would have to say my rating is really between a 3 and a 4. I didn't want to give such a low rating, but one of the things that will bring my rating down is if the book can not keep my attention and I struggle with wanting to pick it up, plus having trouble struggling to comprehend what I am reading without reading it over and over again to make it make sense.

But I also didn't care for the fact that the whole lawsuit angle of the story didn't really have a satisfactory conclusion. In addition to the fact that it sometimes popped up during the story, as if the author went, oh right, there was supposed to be a lawsuit going on here. That lawsuit didn't really have the strength behind it that the blurb made it out to be.

All in all, I did enjoy this story, it just took me so long to finish it and I had trouble focusing on it. And I can’t really pinpoint why. I will say my attention was grabbed a bit more about halfway through the story. And I loved some of the details that were revealed.

I received an e-copy of this book through NetGalley and was not required to write a favorable review. These are my own honest thoughts.

Reading Challenges 2024: May Update

Here is what I read for my challenges in May:

For the May challenge in the Avid Readers of Christian Fiction FB group I needed a book with gardens as a theme or on the cover. I read The Garden Girls by Jessica R. Patch.

For the challenge over at Crystal Caudill's blog, I read The Butterfly Recluse by Therese Heckenkamp.

For the challenge in the Eating Our Words FB group I read The CEO's Companion by Rose Fresquez. for my May book. With this challenge, we can choose to read the book IN the month, or any time of the year, OR we can do both. So, like last year, I am choosing to try both. 

The Esther Paradigm by Sarah Monzon works for December as it was picked out for May's book over in the Between the Pages group. 

For the challenge in The Posse FB group, I realized The Esther Paradigm by Sarah Monzon would work.

I am continuing the Read Your Bookshelf challenge from Chantel Reads All Day with the Arthur Conan Doyle side of the flow chart. I read so many books this month by new-to-me authors. The Butterfly Recluse by Therese Heckenkamp, Secondary Target by Angela Carlisle, Justice Delayed by Sarah Hamaker, Protector by Megan Schaulis, The Butterfly Recluse by Therese Heckenkamp, The Girl from the Hidden Forest by Hannah Linder, The Crown Conspiracy by Connie Mann, The Esther Paradigm by Sarah Monzon, and Callie and the Pumpkin Seed by Sarah Beran.

I enjoyed The Esther Paradigm by Sarah Monzon.

One of the authors I follow, Malissa Chapin, is also doing a challenge on her FB page, Malissa Chapin's Merry Band of Book Lovers:

I didn't read any book that fit the May prompt.

I read Protector by Megan Schaulis for May's challenge in the Faith Filled Fiction group.

For the Literary Escapes Challenge here is what I read in each month. 

In January I read books set in the following states:

Alaska: 26 Below by Kimberley Woodhouse 
Arkansas: Trust the Stars by Tricia Goyer
Illinois: Dear Henry, Love Edith by Becca Kinzer 
Missouri: The Divine Proverb of Streusel by Sara Brunsvold

Oregon: Huband Auditions by Angela Ruth Strong
South Carolina: Fragile Designs by Colleen Coble 
Wyoming:  Fake Relationship at the Triple Z by Cali Black 

And I traveled to England with If I Were You by Lynn Austin

In February I read books set in the following states:

Kentucky: Reverence in the Wilderness by Andrea Byrd 
New Mexico: One Wrong Move by Dani Pettrey

Ohio: Assaulted Caramel by Ameanda Flower 

Tenessee: Fatal Witness by Patricia Bradley

Wisconsin: The Reckoning at Gossamer Pond by Jaime Jo Wright

And I traveled to Ireland with The Irish Matchmaker by Jennifer Deibel

In March I read books set in the following new states (though I did also return to Wyoming):

Colorado: Single Dad Center by Latisha Sexton and Set in Stone by Kimberley Woodhouse

Connecticut: When the Flames Ravaged by Rhonda Dragomir

Idaho: Levi's Vow by Penny Zeller
North Carolina: Never Fall Again by Lynn H. Blackburn

And I traveled back to England with The Mapmaker's Secret by Jennifer Mistmorgan.

In April I read books set in the following new states (though I did also return to Colorado, Missouri, and North Carolina):

Iowa: A Surefire Love by Emily Conrad
Minnesota: Lethal Danger by Jerusha Agen
Virginia: The Vanished by Cara Putman

And I traveled back to England again with The Elusive Truth of Lily Temple by Joanna Davidson Politano.

In May I read a book set in the following new state (though I did also return to Kentucky, North Carolina, and Colorado):

Massachusetts: For a Lifetime by Gabrielle Meyer

And I traveled to Germany with The Crown Conspiracy by Connie Mann, Iran with Protector by Megan Schaulis and somewhere in the Middle East with  The Esther Paradigm by Sarah Monzon, plus returned to England with The Girl from the Hidden Forest by Hannah Linder.

Here is what I've read for the Alphabet Soup Challenge:

January: 

D: Dear Henry, Love Edith by Becca Kinzer, The Divine Proverb of Streusel by Sara Brunsvold

F: Fragile Designs by Colleen Coble, Fake Relationship at the Triple Z by Cali Black 
H: Husband Auditions by Angela Ruth Strong 
I: If I Were You by Lynn Austin 

T: Trust the Stars by Tricia Goyer
U: An Uncertain Road by Abbey Downey 

February: 

A: Assaulted Caramel by Amanda Flower 
C: The Christmas Dog by Melody Carlson and The Captive Heart by Michelle Griep

E: Embers in the London Sky by Sarah Sundin

O: One Wrong Move by Dani Pettrey (mini challenge)

R: Reverence in the Wilderness by Andrea Byrd and The Reckoning at Gossamer Pond by Jaime Jo Wright

March:

L: Levi's Vow by Penny Zeller and Love's Promise by Penny Zeller
M: The Mapmaker's Secret by Jennifer Mistmorgan
N: Never Fall Again by Lynn H. Blackburn
S: Set in Stone by Kimberley Woodhouse and Single Dad Center by Latisha Sexton
W: When the Flames Ravaged by Rhonda Dragomir (mini challenge)

April:

B: Braving Strange Waters by Sarah Hanks and The Butterfly Recluse by Therese Heckenkamp (mini challenge)

V: The Vanished by Cara Putman

May: 

C: Callie and the Pumpkin Seed by Sarah Beran (mini challenge)

G: The Girl from the Hidden Forest by Hannah Linder and The Garden Girls by Jessica R. Patch

J: Justice Delayed by Sarah Hamaker
P: Protector by Megan Schaulis

Here's what I've read for the 2024 European Reading Challenge from Rose City Reader. 

In January I read a book set in the following European country:

England: If I Were You by Lynn Austin 

In February I read a book set in the following European country:

Ireland: The Irish Matchmaker by Jennifer Deibel 

In March I didn't read any books that were set in any new European countries. 

In April I didn't read any books that were set in any new European countries. 

In May I read a book set in the following European country: 

Germany: The Crown Conspiracy by Connie Mann 

I also decided I was going to read one Christmas book each month. 

For January I started The Christmas Dog by Melody Carlson; however, I haven't finished it yet.

In February I finished The Christmas Dog by Meloday Carlson, but I didn't read any other Christmas books.

In March I didn't read any Christmas books.

In April I didn't read any Christmas books either. I don't think I"m doing real well on this self-imposed challenge this year.

In May, yeah, didn't happen. I have way too many ARC's I am reading to be able to fit in another challenge. 

Also, someone in my Avid Readers of Christian Fiction group again came up with a yearly book challenge. This year we have 50 prompts:

In January, 8 of the books I read fit this challenge

In Febrary, 9 of the books I read fit this challenge

In March, 5 of the books I read fit this challenge

In April, 6 of the books I read fit this challenge

In May, 6 of the books I read fit this challenge

Read a book...

1. With a title that starts with a P

2. By an author you’ve never tried before: Trust the Stars by Tricia Goyer

3. Set on the coast: Love, Unscripted by Denise Hunter

4. With a tree on the cover: The Captive Heart by Michelle Griep

5. By an author whose name starts with a J: Lethal Danger by Jerusha Agen

6. From a genre outside your comfort zone: A Sudden Romance by Rose Fresquez

7. With an adverb in the title: Always Think of Me by Lori Keesey

8. Featuring a character with grey hair: Love's Promise by Penny Zeller

9. That has won a Carol award: The Reckoning at Gossamer Pond by Jaime Jo Wright

10. Published in 2024: 8 Down by Kimberley Woodhouse

11. By a debut author: When the Flames Ravaged by Rhonda Dragomir

12. Written by multiple authors

13. With a green cover: Callie and the Pumpkin Seed by Sarah Beran

14. That is a bestseller

15. Set on a boat, train, or plane: Braving Strange Waters by Sarah Hanks

16. With an illustrated cover: Husband Auditions by Angela Ruth Strong

17. With a main character who is disabled

18. With a single mother or father: The Irish Matchmaker by Jennifer Deibel

19. Written by an indie author: Fake Relationship at the Triple Z by Cali Black

20. Set somewhere you’ve been: If I Were You by Lynn Austin

21. Featuring law enforcement: Fatal Witness by Patricia Bradley

22. Published during the summer

23. Set during a holiday: The Christmas Dog by Melody Carlson

24. That is considered women’s fiction 

25. Featuring a Jewish character

26. Set over 100 years ago: Reverence in the Wilderness by Andrea Byrd

27. The contains Bible verses: The CEO's Companion by Rose Fresquez

28. With a teenager as a main character: A Surefire Love by Emily Conrad 

29. With a one word title: Protector by Megan Schaulis

30. A book you preordered: For a Lifetime by Gabrielle Meyer

31. With a solid colored cover

32. By an author who writes with a pen name 

33. That takes place in a national park 

34. With a title that starts with an M: The Mapmaker's Secret by Jennifer Mistmorgan

35. By a male author

36. That includes pirates

37. By an author whose name starts with the letter T: The Butterfly Recluse by Therese Heckenkamp

38. That has been made into a movie or television show 

39. With forgiveness as a topic or theme: The Divine Proverb of Streusel by Sara Brunsvold

40. Featuring a journalist: Embers in the London Sky by Sarah Sundin

41. That includes sisters: Fragile Designs by Colleen Coble

42. With a midwife or doula

43. That takes place in a country you’ve never been to: The Ark and the Dove by Jill Eileen Smith

44. That is lighthearted or humorous: Dear Henry, Love Edith by Becca Kinzer

45. Set during WWII:

46. That you choose because of the cover: Set in Stone by Kimberley Woodhouse

47. By an author who writes multiple genres: 26 Below by Kimberley Woodhouse

48. With a dual timeline 

49. With a second chance romance: Secondary Target by Angela Carlisle

50. Recommended by someone you know: Assaulted Caramel by Amanda Flower

Also, I joined in with a second yearly challenge last year in the Scripture Literature-You Are What You Read group. I just never added it to my blog post. So, this year I'm adding it here, though the post is going to be so long. LOL. 

In January, 8 of the books I read fit this challenge

In Febrary, 8 of the books I read fit this challenge

In March, 6 of the books I read fit this challenge

In April, 4 of the books I read fit this challenge

In May, 10 of the books I read fit this challenge

So, here it is:

1- Takes place in Israel

2- Second chance: An Uncertain Road by Abbey Downey

3- Not you usual genre: A Sudden Romance by Rose Fresquez

4- Significant church event

5- Well known author/lesser known book

6- Major motion picture

7- About an influential Christian

8- A Mysterious disappearance: Fatal Witness by Patricia Bradley

9- Speculative Fiction: The Ark and the Dove by Jill Eileen Smith

10- Protagonist has a disease/disability: Embers in the London Sky by Sarah Sundin

11- Recommended by an author: The Captive Heart by Michelle Griep

12- Includes angels: Always Think of Me by Lori Keesey

13- An inheritance: Fragile Designs by Colleen Coble 

14- Finish what you started: 26 Below by Kimberley Woodhouse 

15- Carol Award winner: The Reckoning at Gossamer Pond by Jaime Jo Wright

16- A Spy: The Mapmaker's Secret by Jennifer Mistmorgan

17- Forgiveness: Love's Promise by Penny Zeller

18- Redemption: When the Flames Ravaged by Rhonda Dragomir

19-Less than 200 pages: The Christmas Dog by Melody Carlson

20. Two or More Authors

21. By your Favorite Author: For a Lifetime by Gabrielle Meyer

22. Male Protagonist: The CEO's Companion by Rose Fresquez

23. Recommended on this Page

24. Blended Families: Callie and the Pumpkin Seed by Sarah Beran

25. Book of Devotions

26. Christian Literary Classic

27. Dystopian:Protector by Megan Schaulis

28- Mistaken Identity: Dear Henry, Love Edith by Becca Kinzer 

29- A Life Lesson: Husband Auditions by Angela Ruth Strong

30. Bible Retelling: The Esther Paradigm by Sarah Monzon

31.-The American Frontier: Reverence in the Wilderness by Andrea Byrd

32. Features Music: Justice Delayed by Sarah Hamaker

33. Recovering from Addiction

34. Gothic Romance: The Girl from the Hidden Forest by Hannah Linder

35- Eye Catching Cover: Trust the Stars by Tricia Goyer

36: Takes Place on an Island: The Garden Girls by Jessica R. Patch 

37. Spiritual Warfare

38- Protagonist Shares your Occupation: Levi's Vow by Penny Zeller

39. Written by a Famous Christian

40- Family Estrangement: The Divine Proverb of Streusel by Sara Brunsvold 

41. Tear Jerker: The Butterfly Recluse by Therese Heckenkamp

42- Treasure Hunt: The Elusive Truth of Lily Temple by Joanna Davidson Politano

43- New to You Author: The Vanished by Cara Putman 

44. Mother-Daughter Bond: Never Fall Again by Lynn H. Blackburn

45. 2023 Best Seller

46. Title Includes a Color

47. Fairytale

48. On your TBR: One Wrong Move by Dani Pettrey

49. Alternate Reality

50. Written before 1950

51. Includes a Foreign Language: The Irish Matchmaker by Jennifer Deibel

52. Includes a Historical Monarch: If I Were You by Lynn Austin

53. Choose your own Adventure: The Crown Conspiracy by Connie Mann

My Goodreads goal is to read 110 books this year. Last year I had set it at 100 and I ended up reading 122. So far this year I have read 49 books. 

Phew, I know this seems like a lot, even more than last year, but like last year, I hope to be able to combine challenges where possible. And with the yearly challenges, I read books for the other challenges and then see where they fit in the yearly challenge lists. Also, when I pick books for the monthly challenges, I will try to choose books that take place in different states or countries. Also, I'll probably prioritize the challenges I've been doing longer if I start struggling with keeping up.