*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.
I love to read, have always loved to read. In fact, I can have three to four books going at a time usually. This is a blog of my journey through different reading challenges, in which I hope to share the books I read along with my thoughts, inspirations and the weird ideas gleaned from each book along the way. Come and join me! In addition, I will be attempting to improve my own writing to move along the path I see before me, a path strewn with the words I desire to form into stories.
An Uncertain Road by Abbey Downey was a wonderful historical romance novel set in 1905 during the early days of the automobile and early auto racing. Flora Montfort is a widow who used to race with her husband until he died in an accident. Jensen Gable is an auto mechanic who wants nothing to do with the dangerous contraptions anymore, ever since his as-close-as-a-brother friend also died in an accident. The two meet in Philadelphia while there for a wedding and don’t quite hit it off at first. Yet they are thrust together to participate in the 10-day Glidden Tour that will take them from NYC through New England and back.
The story alternates between both their points of view. I love Flora’s independent spirit and tenacity as she competes as a pioneer female automobile racer, one who isn’t afraid to take risks. Which of course is a huge obstacle to Jensen, who is all about safety. So, you know, put them together in a race and things are bound to end up tense. There are dangers and obstacles to deal with, along with intrigue and sabotage. And that is just in the race. The relationship between Flora and Jensen has its own barriers to break through. I found myself rooting for them and wanting to yell at them more than once as they dealt with their issues. The importance of being truthful and not hiding things is seen, right along with learning to trust in God and remembering to go to Him and realizing He is so much greater than our problems.
One thing that really surprised me was that other people could ride along during this race. I enjoyed learning more about early automobiles and racing. And we got to see two different kinds of races in the story.
Definitely a book I recommend.
I received this book for free from the author as a part of the launch team and was not required to write a favorable review. These are my own, honest thoughts.
I loved The Divine Proverb of Streusel by Sara Brunsvold. I loved her first book and couldn’t wait to read this newest novel.
This story is told from the viewpoints of two characters, Nikki and her uncle Wes. Nikki is devastated when her parents divorce and her father remarries. On top of that things are not going the best with her fiance. Her world feels like it is shattering and she ends up running off. Not really with any plans, but ends up at her uncle’s farm, her father’s family’s farm. Her Uncle Wes welcomes her, though sort of finds himself in the middle, between Nikki and her estranged father.
It’s summer vacation and her drifting self finds an anchor at the farm, helping her uncle spruce up the farm house for future plans of renting it. It’s here that she discovers her heritage and truths from her ancestors in the form of some books found in storage. I loved the notebook she found included not just German recipes, but proverbs and wisdom. As she creates these recipes she finds herself opening up to stories from the past and is realizing everyone has a story, events in their lives that shaped what they have become.
Oh, and I mentioned the notebook included recipes that she tries, well the recipes are printed in the book and as she is making the recipes, with help from a friend, there are little nuggets or tips to help with the recipes.
And yes, through his time with his niece, Wes is learning things as well. And he himself is seeking wisdom from HIS aunt.
I loved the sense of family and learning about one’s heritage. I loved the relationship that Nikki and her uncle developed. Forgiveness was a big part of this story, and being open to understanding others.
Definitely a book I recommend.
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.
I'm gong to be participating in several challenges again this year.
The first challenge again comes from the Avid Readers of Christian Fiction Facebook Group I am in.
Read a book...
With a title that starts with a P
By an author you’ve never tried before
Set on the coast
With a tree on the cover
By an author whose name starts with a J
From a genre outside your comfort zone
With an adverb in the title
Featuring a character with grey hair
That has won a Carol award
Published in 2024
By a debut author
Written by multiple authors
With a green cover
That is a bestseller
Set on a boat, train, or plane
With an illustrated cover
With a main character who is disabled
With a single mother or father
Written by an indie author
Set somewhere you’ve been
Featuring law enforcement
Published during the summer
Set during a holiday
That is considered women’s fiction
Featuring a Jewish character
Set over 100 years ago
That contains bible verses
With a teenager as a main character
With a one word title
A book you preordered
With a solid colored cover
By an author who writes with a pen name
That takes place in a national park
With a title that starts with an M
By a male author
That includes pirates
By an author whose name starts with the letter T
That has been made into a movie or television show
With forgiveness as a topic or theme
Featuring a journalist
That includes sisters
With a midwife or doula
That takes place in a country you’ve never been to
That is lighthearted or humorous
Set during WWII
That you choose because of the cover
By an author who writes multiple genres
With a dual timeline
With a second chance romance
Recommended by someone you know
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.
So, here it is:
1- Takes place in Israel
2- Second chance
3- Not your usual genre
4- Significant church event
5- Well known author/lesser known book
6- Major motion picture
7- About an influential Christian
8- A Mysterious disappearance
9- Speculative Fiction
10- Protagonist has a disease/disability
11- Recommended by an author
12- Includes angels
13- An inheritance
14- Finish what you started
15- Carol Award winner
16- A Spy
17- Forgiveness
18- Redemption
19-Less than 200 pages
20. Two or More Authors
21. By your Favorite Author
22. Male Protagonist
23. Recommended on this Page
24. Blended Families
25. Book of Devotions
26. Christian Literary Classic
27. Dystopian
28. Mistaken Identity
29. A Life Lesson
30. Bible Retelling
31. The American Frontier
32. Features Music
33. Recovering from Addiction
34. Gothic Romance
35. Eye Catching Cover
36. Takes Place on an Island
37. Spiritual Warfare
38. Protagonist Shares your Occupation
39. Written by a Famous Christian
40. Family Estrangement
41. Tear Jerker
42. Treasure Hunt
43. New to you Author
44. Mother-Daughter Bond
45. 2023 Best Seller
46. Title Includes a Color
47. Fairytale
48. On your TBR
49. Alternate Reality
50. Written before 1950
51. Includes a Foreign Language
52. Includes a Historical Monarch
53. Choose your own Adventure
My Goodreads goal is to read 110 books this year. Last year I had set it at 100 and I ended up reading 122. I think I will be able to meet my 110 book goal.
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.