Me, Myself, I Read (and write)

Tuesday, January 2, 2024

Reading Challenges 2023 Conclusion

I participated in several challenges in 2023, and I completed all but one prompt in one of them.

The first challenge again comes from the Avid Readers of Christian Fiction Facebook Group I am in.

These are the books I read:

The Unlocking the Past: Unlock the Adventure Reading Challenge is from Crystal Caudill's blog.

These are the books I read:

There is also the reading challenge from the Eating Our Words Facebook group.

These are the books I read:

We also had the option to read the books for the Eating Our Words challenge any time of year. So, I ended up reading two books for each month's prompt. Here are the books I read through the year that fit these categories:

I also found a new-to-me Facebook group that is also doing a challenge, The Posse:

These are the books I read:

I'm also joining in with a new-to-me challenge this year:

These are the books I read:

I'm also going to try to read a book set in each of the 50 states. I'd already decided I wanted to do this, and then I found the Literary Escapes Challenge.

These are the books I read:

I'm also going to try to read books set in as many European countries as possible with the 2023 European Reading Challenge from Rose City Reader.

These are the books I read:

Finally, someone in my Avid Readers of Christian Fiction group came up with a 55 book challenge: I read all 55 books for this challenge

In January I read 10 books for this challenge

In February I read 7 books for this challenge

In March I read 9 books for this challenge

In April I read 8 books for this challenge

In May I read 5 books for this challenge

In June I read 2 books for this challenge

In July I read 3 books for this challenge

In August I read 2 books for this challenge

In September I read 2 books for this challenge

In October I read 2 books for this challenge.

In November I read 1 book for this challenge.

In December I read 5 books for this challenge.

Read a book...

1-With a pink spine: The Heavens Before by Kacy Barnett-Gramckow (my thoughts)

2- By an author whose name starts with an A: Midnight on the River Grey by Abigail Wilson (my thoughts)

3- 450 pages or longer: The Perfect Storm by Cali Black (my thoughts)

4- Published in 2023: Remember Me by Tracie Peterson (my thoughts)

5- That has won a Christy award: A Portait of Loyalty by Roseanny M. White (my thoughts)

6- With multiple people on the cover: Lethal Intentions by Jennifer Chastain (my thoughts)

7- With a car or truck on the cover: Murder Goes Glamping by Malissa Chapin (my thoughts)

8- That is the third book in a series: An Hour Unspent by Roseanna M. White (my thoughts)

9- That has a map inside: A Divine Romance by Ifueko Ogbomo (my thoughts)

10- A debut novel: In the Midst of the Storm by Latisha Sexton (my thoughts)

11- By an author you’ve never read before: The Hope of Azure Springs by Rachel Fordham (my thoughts)

12- That has food on the cover: A Persevering Heart by Lisa M. Prysock (my thoughts)

13- Featuring a woman from the Bible: The Prophetess: Deborah's Story by Jill Eileen Smith (my thoughts)

14- With flowers on the cover: In Her Sights by Karen Witemeyer (my thoughts)

15- Featuring a child or teen as the main character: Innocent Voices by Julie Bonn Blank (my thoughts)

16- That you got for free: Ring of Secrets by Roseanna M. White (my thoughts)

17- Featuring an athlete: The Sound of Light by Sarah Sundin (my thoughts)

18- That you pick because of the cover: Dream of Kings by Sharon Hinck (my thoughts)

19- Recommended by someone you know: Her Deepest Secret by Jessica R. Patch (my thoughts)

20- Set in a cool climate: Cold Light of Day by Elizabeth Goddard (my thoughts)

21- Set during the Great Depression: Bridge of Gold by Kimberley Woodhouse (my thoughts)

22- Featuring friends to lovers: Impending Strike by Sami A. Abrams/Lynnette Eason (my thoughts)

23- Published the month you were born: The Game by Cali Black (my thoughts)

24- With a blue cover: Wonderland Trials by Sara Ella (my thoughts)

25- With a main character with blonde hair: Innocent Lives by Julie Bonn Blank (my thoughts)

26- Set on an island: King of the Crown Imperials by Joanna Alonzo (my thoughts)

27- Set in a different country than you: Heidi by Johanna Spyri (my thoughts)

28- That takes place more than 200 years ago: Stay With Me by Jody Hedlund (my thoughts)

29- That features a member of the military: A Battle Worth Fighting by Sarah Hanks (my thoughts)

30- Set in South or Central America: Water from my Heart by Charles Martin (my thoughts)

31- By a male author: The Mistletoe Promise by Richard Paul Evans (my thoughts)

32- Written in first person POV: The Mistletoe Inn by Richard Paul Evans (my thoughts)

33- Featuring a single parent: Dark of Night by Colleen Coble (my thoughts)

34- With a title that starts with B: Break of Day by Colleen Coble (my thoughts)

35- That is a love inspired book: Taken in the Night by Elizabeth Goddard (my thoughts)

36- That involves a wedding: Wait for Me by Jody Hedlund (my thoughts)

37- With an L in the title: Love Finds You in Liberty, Indiana by Melanie Dobson (my thoughts)

38- By an author from a different country than you: The Cost of the Crown by Joy Crain (my thoughts)

39- With a black cover: The Metropolitan Affair by Jocelyn Green (my thoughts)

40- With a title that has 5 or more words: The Secret Life of Sarah Hollenbeck by Bethany Turner (my thoughts)

41- With an illustrated cover: Neverending Mercy by Latisha Sexton (my thoughts)

42- From a genre outside your comfort zone: The Best Summer of Our Lives by Rachel Hauck (my thoughts)

43- Written by multiple authors: Written by multiple authors: A Very Bookish Easter by Kelsey Bryant, Abigayle Clarie, Sarah Holman, and Kate Willis (my thoughts)

44- Set on a farm: The Timepiece by Beverly Lewis (my thoughts)

45- By an author that has also written nonfiction: This is Where it Ends by Cindy K. Sproles (my thoughts)

46- By an indie author: In the Midst of a Starry Night by Latisha Sexton (my thoughts)

47- Published in 2012: Blood of Adam by Rachel S. Neal (my thoughts)

48- With a sunset on the cover: Bidding on a Second Chance by Emily Conrad (my thoughts)

49- That has cowboys: Blue Skies, Blue Eyes by Cali Black (my thoughts)

50- Without any people on the cover: The Vanishing at Castle Moreau by Jaime Jo Wright (my thoughts)

51- By an author who uses a three part name (C.C. Warrens, Ann H. Gabhart): The Number of Love by Roseanna M. White (my thoughts)

52- That features a hobby or skill you’d like to learn: In the Shadow of Denali by Tracie Peterson and Kimberley Woodhouse (my thoughts)

53- With a nanny, babysitter, or governess: The Christmas Blessing by Melody Carlson

54- An author with the same two initials: Counterfeit Love by Crystal Caudill (my thoughts)

55- With a pet that isn’t a dog: The Christmas Cat by Melody Carlson (my thoughts)

My Goodreads goal was to read 100 books this year. Last year I had set it at 75 and I ended up reading 115. I have actually surpassed my goal. I hit 100 books on November 11th. My total for 2023 is 122 books.

Reading Challenges 2023: December Update

Here is what I read for my challenges in December:

I read The Silent Governess by Julie Klassen. Here are my thoughts.

I read Bidding on a Second Chance by Emily Conrad. Here are my thoughts.

I read The Hart of Christmas by Latisha Sexton. Here are my thoughts.

I used The Hart of Christmas for this challenge as well. They had changed the prompt to include books where the word "Christmas" was in the title.

I read The Confression by Beverly Lewis for this challenge. Here are my thoughts.

In January I read books that are set in the following states:

California: Taken in the Night by Elizabeth Goddard

Ohio: Counterfeit Love by Crystal Caudill

Oregon: Innocent Lives and Innocent Voices by Julie Bonn Blank

Pennsylvania: The Timepiece by Beverly Lewis

South Carolina: Impending Strike by Sami A. Abrams/Lynette Eason

Washington: The Christmas Cat by Melody Carlson

In February I read books that are set in the following states:

Colorado: In the Midst of the Storm and In the Midst of the Darkest Hour by Latisha Sexton.

Indiana: Love Finds You in Liberty, Indiana by Melanie Dobson

Texas: The Inheritance Games, The Hawthorne Legacy, and The Final Gambit by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

In March I read books that are set in the following states:

Illinois: The Secret Life of Sarah Hollenbeck by Bethany Turner

Michigan: Dark of Night by Colleen Coble

Tennessee: Her Darkest Secret by Jessica R. Patch

Utah: The Mistletoe Promise by Richard Paul Evans

Vermont: The Mistletoe Inn by Richard Paul Evans

In April I read books that are set in the following states:

Florida: The Prayer Garden by Kelsey Bryant (one of the novellas in the A Very Bookish Easter collection)

Iowa: The Hope of Azure Springs by Rachel Fordham

Montana: Blue Skies, Blue Eyes by Cali Black

In May I read books that are set in the following states:

Alaska: In the Shadow of Denali by Tracie Peterson and Kimberley Woodhouse

Oklahoma: The Best Summer of Our Lives by Rachel Hauck (You can read my thoughts here.)

Washington DC: In This Moment by Gabrielle Meyer (Not an actual state, but a game we play counts it as a state, so I thought I would include it.)

West Virginia: Neverending Mercy by Latisha Sexton

Wisconsin: The Vanishing at Castle Moreau by Jaime Jo Wright

In June I read books that are set in the following states:

Kentucky: This is Where it Ends by Cindy K. Sproles

Maine: The Blackout Book Club by Amy Lynn Green (You can read my thoughts here.)

Virginia: Rescue in the Wilderness by Andrea Byrd (You can read my thoughts here.)

In July I read books that are set in the following states:

Idaho: Over the Horizon by Penny Zeller (You can read my thoughts here.)

Minnesota: The Bookshop of Secrets by Mollie Rushmeyer

New York: Ring of Secrets by Roseanna M. White (You can read my thoughts here)

In August I read books that are set in the following states:

Missouri: Cold Pursuit by Nancy Mehl

Nebraska: Falling Between the Pages by A.M. Heath

In September I read a book set in the following state:

Wyoming: The Secrets Beneath by Kimberley Woodhouse (You can read my thoughts here)

In October I read a book set in the following state:

Kansas: The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip by Sara Brunsvold. (You can read my thoughts here)

In November none of the books I read were set in any of the states I still need to complete for this challenge.

In December I read a book set in the following state:

Georgia: A Persevering Heart by Lisa M. Prysock. (You can read my thoughts here)

In January I read books that are set in the following European Countries:

England: An Hour Unspent by Roseanna M. White

Switzerland: Heidi by Johanna Spyri

In May I read a book set in:

Denmark: The Sound of Light by Sarah Sundin

In August I read a book set in:

Greece: The Thief of Corinth by Tessa Afshar

In October I read a book set in:

Germany: The Fairest Beauty by Melanie Dickerson

In November I read a book set in:

Poland: The Warsaw Sisters by Amanda Barratt (my thoughts)

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

In January I read The Christmas Cat by Melody Carlson.

In March I read The Mistletoe Promise by Richard Paul Evans and The Mistletoe Inn also by Richard Paul Evans

In April I read The Mistletoe Secret by Richard Paul Evans

In May I read A Quilt for Christmas by Melody Carlson (my thoughts)

In July I read The Christmas Blessing by Melody Carlson (my thoughts)

In October I read a couple of books. I read Twice Loved by Wanda E. Brunstetter (my thoughts) and Project Scrooge by A.M. Heath (my thoughts)

In November I read The Engagement Cover (my thoughts), It Came Upon a Midnight Clear (my thoughts), and Movie-Made Romance by A.M. Heath.

In December I read The Hart of Christmas by Latisha Sexton and Bidding on a Second Chance by Emily Conrad.

Finally, someone in my Avid Readers of Christian Fiction group came up with a 55 book challenge: