Reading Challenges 2023: July Update

Here is what I read for my challenges in July:

I read The Bookshop of Secrets by Mollie Rushmeyer. I absolutely loved this book and highly recommend it. I invite you to check out my review.

I am currently reading Lost in Darkness by Michelle Griep. This book takes place in England in 1815. The main female character is a travel writer. 

I read Echoes Among the Stones by Jaime Jo Wright for this challenge. Here are my thoughts. (In case you are wondering, "an EOW author" means one of the authors who are the admins of the Eating Our Words Facebook group, which is where I found the challenge last year.)

Most of the books I read in July are part of a series. I read Murder Goes Solo (my review) and Murder Goes Glamping by Malissa Chapin. I read the first book so I would be ready for the second, as I was on the launch team for it. I also read Ring of Secrets by Roseanna M. White, the first book in her Culper Ring series. I was on the launch team for Over the Horizon by Penny Zeller. This is her first book in the Horizon series. 

I finished Ring of Secrets by Roseanna M. White for the June challenge. And I am reading Lost in Darkness by Michelle Griep for this challenge as well.

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 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

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)

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

Read a book...

1-With a pink spine

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

36- That involves a wedding

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

39- With a black cover

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

48- With a sunset on the cover

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 is to read 100 books this year. Last year I had set it at 75 and I ended up reading 115. I think I will be able to meet my 100 book goal. As of today I have read 66 books this year.

I know this seems like a lot, but like last year, I hope to be able to combine challenges where possible. And when I pick books for the monthly challenges, I will try to choose books that take place in different states or countries.