Queen of Hearts by Heather Day Gilbert Review

Wow, Queen of Hearts by Heather Day Gilbert is an awesome thriller! I loved the twists. 

Alex is a writer of suspense who suddenly receives a threatening letter. She needs to find a way to stay safe, and is offered her editor's house in the woods of West Virginia. A huge house that's been used for writers' retreats. 

But, the subtle, sinister threats keep coming. Or is she losing her mind? She needs to continue working on her new book, but not knowing if someone is still after her somehow makes it tricky.

The author ramped up the suspense, more and more as the book progressed. There were multiple suspects and I even wondered if there were more than one culprits after her, either working together, or alone. 

I did sort of suspect the actual bad guy for a bit, but I was far from 100% sure. And then was really thrown for a loop with the twists at the ends. 

What a wonderful suspenseful thriller, and one I highly recommend.

 

Friday Fun - December 27, 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 three books to share with you.

I read The Vow by D.L. Wood.

I also read A Child for Christmas by Marisa Masterson.

I just started Queen of Hearts by Heather Day Gilbert

        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 Carrie for First Line Friday.)

Here are my Book Beginnings/First Line Friday selections:

  The Vow by D.L. Wood:

"Kate Palmer stopped on the sidewalk, turned around, and listened."

What was she listening for? Being a suspense book, I was instantly on edge.

A Child for Christmas by Marisa Masterson:

"The baby gave a sharp cry."

That didn't sound good. I hoped the baby was okay.

Queen of Hearts by Heather Day Gilbert

"The wet leaves give way beneath my sock feet, but I can't slow down, even as another crack of lightning splits the dark sky."

That really caught my attention. Why couldn't she slow down? Danger? Was someone chasing her? And a stormy night added a sense of danger to the scene.

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:

The Vow by D.L. Wood:

 

 "What are they doing in there?
Once again, the thick web of woods camouflaged him well. It was dusk and getting darker by the minute. Soon he would be nearly invisible even if they were looking straight at him."

A Child for Christmas by Marisa Masterson:

"Trouble lurked not two miles away. He had no right to bellyache about things done to him as a child. The here and now was what mattered. They needed to make it through the night without losing the cattle."

Queen of Hearts by Heather Day Gilbert

"As I roll my clothes and stack them in the drawers, something pushes its way into my consciousness. The father in The Visitor. The way he acts toward his daughter and wife. . . gaslighting them and toying with their emotions for his own twisted pleasure-those behaviors hit too close to home."

Reviews:

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

Keeper of the Lost Cities: Unraveled by Shannon Messenger

A Very Messy Christmas by Dineen Miller

Plus here is the link to a review from a book that was on a previous Friday Fun post:

Deadly Revenge by Patricia Bradley

And here are the links to the reviews for two of the books above:

The Vow by D.L. Wood

A Child for Christmas by Marisa Masterson

A Child for Christmas by Marisa Masterson

 

A Child for Christmas is my second book by Marisa Masterson. It was okay, but I did like the other book more.

I originally chose to read this book because it works for 2 of my reading challenges. And I was intrigued by the description of the book. The book takes place after the Civil War. Charlotte gets married to Butch by proxy. Which I'd never heard of. She is left with her sister's baby after the mother dies right after the baby is born. Charlotte is from the south and Butch, the man she ends up married to lives out in Wyoming. The relationship has multiple obstacles and then there are dangers that pop up after she arrives. 

I think I would have liked this more if it was a full novel and we got to know the characters better, and they got to know each other better.

Everything seemed a bit rushed and wrapped up too easily. And there was something about some of the writing that bothered me a bit, including having trouble keeping the names straight.

The Vow by D.L. Wood Review

 

The Vow by D.L. Wood is an awesome twisty turny suspense. This was my first book by this author and I can't wait to read more. 

When we first meet Kate she discovers through a note that her husband has left her. A year later she heads to her family's cabin in the woods to get it ready to be sold so she can afford to get things settled with the divorce. However, circumstances keep occuring that make her feel like she's being stalked. Is it the person who had stalked her in the past? Is it her ex? Is it someone completely different? Why do strange, threatening things keep happening. 

I have to say, this was an awesome suspense filled story, though not too intense. The twist? I definitely did NOT see that coming. When things started clicking for Kate, I was still in the dark, but zinging through my reading trying to figure out what was going on. 

The author did a wonderful job keeping me gripped to the story and keeping me wondering. A great suspense and mystery with a great ending that wrapped everything up.

Deadly Revenge by Patricia Bradley Review

 

Deadly Revenge by Patricia Bradley is the third book in the Pearl River series. I enjoyed book two, but I have to say, I loved this one more. 

Jenna Hart is a police deputy who has moved back to her hometown of Pearl River within the last year. She is possibly still dealing with PTSD from events that happened three years earlier, which we read about in the prologue. A TSI agent, Maxwell Anderson, who she used to work with arrives in town to help with a rally where the candidate for senate has been threatened. To her dismay, they find themselves working together when a car accident takes the life of a local politician and his wife. But was it really an accident. And is it somehow related to the threats the candidate for senate has received? And are there others who are in danger? Why does someone seem to be targetting certain people? 

And to add to the suspense, there appears to be someone out to discredit Jenna's sanity, and maybe even implicate her in some other crimes. Is there a way that these different crimes are connected, or are there separate bad guys that our heroes need to deal with? 

The reader also gets to read the point of view of the villain(s), so we know a bit more than the police and agents do. And we have some idea who they are dealing with. Because we get to see what the bad guys are doing, it adds to the suspense. 

If you like a decent amount of suspense in your romantic suspense books, you are going to find it in this story. And yes, there is a second chance relationship going on here. Though there are some issues to work through. 

This was a book I did not want to have to set down. I needed to know who the killer was and if and how the different crimes were connected. And I hate when characters are being made to look bad in the eyes of others, and I need to see justice served. So, this book gripped me and wouldn't let go. 

And I also loved that we got updates on the past relationships from the previous books. Which is why I would recommend reading the series in order, even though each book's story can stand alone. 

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.

A Very Messy Christmas by Dineen Miller Review

I loved A Very Messy Christmas by Dineen Miller. he is a new author to me, and the only reason I picked the book up was because it was for a reading challenge. I am very glad I did. 

The book was a sweet, hilarious, quick read. Yes, I found myself literally laughing out loud multiple times. 

The book begins with Madi and Dominic at odds, though not quite enemies. Madi owns an inn and for several years has worked with the owner of the restaurant next door to create memorable holiday experiences for her guests.  Unfortunately this year, the owner is out of state dealing with a family situation, so his nephew Dominic, who is a top chef from a top restaurant out in California, is in charge of the restaurant. And he wants to be in charge of Madi's menu, even though she has specific dishes she is requesting, as she has done in previous years. 

I admit, I didn't like Dominic at first as he came across as haughty and high and mighty, and sort of a know it all, and didn't seem to want to listen to Madi, even though she thought she knew what was best for her guests. However, then he insists that Madi experience his creations, showing her what he can provide. The question is, will Madi give Dominic a chance or will she stick to her guns. 

And in all this they realize they are starting to have feelings for each other. But, Dominic isn't actually there permanently. I needed to keep reading to find out how the author would bring them together. Because, you know, it is a rom-com, so yeah, they will end up together, right?

Add in some hilarious hijinks by the dogs Ken and Barbie (yes, Ken and Barbie) and you've got a wonderful book. One I highly recommend. However, you WILL get hungry reading about all the different foods Dominic creates, so be prepared. 

 

Keeper of the Lost Cities: Unraveled by Shannon Messenger Review

 

Keeper of the Lost Cities: Unraveled by Shannon Messenger was highly anticipated by both myself and my daughter. I was a bit frustrated when I learned that we were getting another .5 book (especially knowing that my librarian doesn't think .5 books are important to include in the library's collection) instead of book 10, especially with the way the author left us at the end of Stellarlune. 

(If you haven't read Stellarlune, you might not want to read this review as I will be mentioning some things that would be spoilerish for that book.)

I really do feel like she is dragging this series out more than she needs to. And I didn't start reading until right before Flashback was published. 

That said, I did love being able to discover what Keefe was up to in "Humanland" during the time that took place in Stellarlune. The book did seem a bit repetitive at first as he was trying to deal with being separated from everything he has ever known, and dealing with the new abilities his mother forced upon him. In Stellarlune, when we finally see him again, he has a lot better control, so it was cool to see how he went about that. 

I loved seeing his reaction to all the different human things. I will say the book became a lot more interesting when we discover the identity of the "friend" he mentions when Sophie and friends find him in Stellarlune. 

I've seen some reviews that make it sound like this book isn't as important as the author has made us think it is. I have to disagree with those reviews. I think we definitely discovered some important information and I can see why she didn't feel like she could work it in to book 10. I can see why it was important to have this in Keefe's point of view, especially because there are things we learn he still won't be able to share with Sophie. 

I will say, I did miss Ro and all the hilarious dialogue and interactions between the two of them. And it was definitely different having Keefe all sulky, but very understandable. 

Now if the author hadn't decided to include those mentions of controversial relationships. I admit, I've been wondering for a while, with all the issues with the elves' matchmaking rules, if she was working up to including said relationships, even though she has said in the past they wouldn't be in this series because it didn't fit in with her world. But seeing as there was a certain conversation beween Keefe and his "friend," and the mention of those relationships being "cool," I do feel she is planning to bring that into her world. Which really frustrates and saddens me, because I have been recommending this series in Christian groups for ages, but now I will no longer be able to do so. 

Will I read the rest of the series? Of course. I am invested, and I love this series. And that is one of the things that bugs me the most. The author let us get invested and then threw it in where it really wasn't even needed. 

Friday Fun - December 20, 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 Keeper of the Lost Cities: Unraveled by Shannon Messenger.

I just startied A Very Messy Christmas by Dineen Miller.

        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:

  Keeper of the Lost Cities: Unraveled by Shannon Messenger:

"'This is a bad idea.'"

Well, it's Keefe, so yeah, not surprised.

A Very Messy Christmas by Dineen Miller:

"'Yes, Mrs. Sanderson, we have you down as arriving on the fifteeth and that you're staying through New Year's Day.'"

Seems like a normal day at an inn.

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:

Keeper of the Lost Cities: Unraveled by Shannon Messenger:

 

 "So was the next one.
And the one after that.
The art improved from book to book, so clearly the practice was paying off. But Cass had spent a lot of time drawing the same place--which felt like a strange decision, since humans only lived about eighty years."

A Very Messy Christmas by Dineen Miller:

"'I'll see what I can do.' I'm finding her desire to make even her guest's fur babies happy unexpectedly endearing, which intensifies my urge to ask Madi out. But if I don't plan to stay in Sarabella, wouldn't that be unfair to her? I'm one hundred and ten percent positive that if things turned serious, she'd refuse to sell her inn, which I'd never ask her to do. And I must be out of my mind to even have thought like that. We only just met yesterday."

Reviews:

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

Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers

I Think I Was Murdered by Colleen Coble and Rick Acker

I Think I Was Murdered by Colleen Coble and Rick Acker Review

 

I Think I Was Murdered by Colleen Coble and Rick Acker was quite the intriguing romantic suspense/mystery. I really enjoyed these authors first book together, What We Hide, and was greatly anticipating this book. I've been a fan of Colleen Coble for a few years; however, I have yet to read any of Rick Acker's books. But reading these two books written by both of them together has really made me want to try some of his. They've done a wonderful job so far. 

I was quite intrigued with the premise of this book way back when I first heard about it. Katrina's husband died in what was believed by everyone to be a car accident. However, the reader knows better because the prologue begins with her husband, Jason, being pursued for a possession he has discovered. A very rare and valuable possession. The reader KNOWS how he died, though we do not know who the culprit is that caused his death. 

When the first chapter starts it is a year later and Katrina is having a really bad time both in her professional life and personal life. The CEO of the company where she works as legal counsel has been indicted and the FBI is questioning her. Her grandmother is near death and she is dealing with the chaos at work. This all just adds more on to her grief she has been dealing with for the past year.

She's been clinging on to the memories of her husband through an AI Chatbot that she had access to because of her job. This Chatbot is just like chatting with her husband. Then one day, she asks a question that has her husband/the Chatbot answering that he thinks he was murdered. 

Due to different circumstances Katrina ends up back in her home town. She reconnects with a friend from the past, and they, along with her friend from work, end up working together to solve the mystery of her husband's now-suspicious death along with the missing valuable object. 

There is danger from unknown individuals which adds to the suspense. Though the suspense wasn't all that intense most of the time, there were instances of peril and tension. As they follow clues to find the needed information related to the object that got Jason killed, it feels a bit like a high stakes treasure hunt. There are twists, though I did sort of start to suspect the identity of the one culprit. 

I enjoyed the second chance romance, a relationship that has a chance to develop while Katrina and Seb work together. Though I wasn't a huge fan of the sudden love triangle that developed between Katrina's friend and two other characters. Lots of secrets being withheld. 

There was a LOT going on in this story, some of which did get a tad confusing at times. Especially trying to keep some of the side characters names and relationships to the main characters straight. 

I did enjoy the parts about the two different restaurants, and getting to learn about different Norwegian dishes. 

All in all, it was an enjoyable story and I felt that everything was tied up nicely at the end, even with everything going on. 

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.

Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers Review

 

Wow, this book was intense. I did not want to put it down. Honestly, I've heard about Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers for a while. Especially when I saw people talking about the movie a few years ago. It appeared to be quite controversial in my Christian groups because of the detail the author goes into and I guess the movie does as well. I really wasn't sure if it was a book I wanted to read. I just have to say, I'm really glad I decided to pick it up to fulfill a couple of my reading challenges. 

Yes, this book was quite intense. I mean, it is about a young lady who was sadly sold into prostitution at a very young age. During the quite lengthy prologue, as the reader I was already emotionally attached to this story and invested in wanting to know what was going to happen to Sarah who became known as Angel for the majority of the book. The poor girl was dealing with so much rejection and being used. 

Then we jump ahead 15 years and discover Angel is now living her life as a prostitute, hardened and full of hate. And Michael Hosea enters her life insisting he is going to marry her, as the Lord has prompted him to do. This story follows the pattern found in the book of Hosea in the Bible. So, if you know that story, you know they do marry and there are going to be times when she leaves her husband and returns to prostitution and he goes after her. 

Even though I figured I knew how it was going to play out, there was so much in this story that kept me riveted to it and kept me turning the pages. So much biblical truth playing out in the story. Seeing the way Michael loved Angel self-sacrificially. Trying to show her God's love, which she wanted nothing to do with. Seeing Angel learning to open up and then fighting against it. Seeing her struggling so much during the book. And seeing how Michael struggled with what God was asking him to do.

And then there was the hypocrisy of seeing how certain men treated Angel, even though by using her they are sinning as well. That really got to me. Knowing how the woman is the one who is looked upon with distain, even while the men will come and go with maybe just a guilty feeling, if that. 

I love that we get to see God's unconditional love for us. We see God's forgiveness. It's a story of redemption and seeing how God offers grace and mercy. 

Yes, there is quite a bit of detail that some will find (and have found) disagreeable or even unacceptable in a Christian book. But I would say the detail that IS in the story isn't as detailed as some made it out to be and the author didn't really get disgustingly graphic. Would I allow my teenagers to read the book. Probably not. But I really think this book is worth the read. Quite emotional. Some intriguing twists. And just such a powerful story of redemption.

Once Upon a Christmas by Penny Zeller Review

 

I've come to really enjoy Penny Zeller's Wyoming Sunrise series. We are first introduced to Ambrose in Dreams of the Heart where he is a young child with a pet pig named Grumbles. It is his dream to become a lawman some day, to fight the bad guys and bring them to justice and keep the people safe. I love that we get to see him all grown up in Once Upon a Christmas. All grown up and in love, but so unsure of himself and trying to figure out if Wren loves him back. 

Do I wish the story was longer. Well sort of. I would have loved for Ambrose to have had a full length book and really gotten to see his and Wren's relationship develop. But this was a sweet novelette, a quick Christmas read. And I'm glad we at least got this update focusing on Ambrose who was such a sweet, cute kid in the earlier books. 

As it is so short, I'm not really going to give any details as they'd spoil the story. But if you have read the Wyoming Sunrise series, I highly recommend reading this novelette. If you haven't read the series yet, I would really suggest reading it before reading this. The book will mean a lot more if you get to know Ambrose first.

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 - December 13, 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 Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers.

I just startied I Think I Was Murdered by Colleen Coble and Rick Acker.

        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:

  Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers:

"Alex Stafford was just like Mama said."

Curious who Alex was and if this was a good thing or a bad thing that he was just like Mama said.

I Think I Was Murdered by Colleen Coble and Rick Acker:

"In 2009 Satoshi Nakamoto laid an egg."

Um, um, I wasn't quite sure what to think of this. What kind of egg are we talking about here. 

In case you want a bit more, here is the second line:

"Jason Foster had found it two weeks ago, and he'd been running for his life ever since."

Now I was really intrigued. Sure did capture my attention.

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:

Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers:

 

   "On his way out of town, Michael drove by the brothel. It was big and fancy. The place was overflowing with men--mostly young, some bewhiskered and some smooth-cheeked--nearly all drunk or well on their way to being so. Someone was fiddling, and men were making up bawdy verses to the tune, each cruder than the last.

    "And she lives there, he thought. Up in one of those rooms with a bed and little else. He flicked the reins over his horses and kept on going, frowning heavily.

I Think I Was Murdered by Colleen Coble and Rick Acker:

"'I found him unconscious, and the ambulance brought him here to the surgical center in Eureka. He apparently fell-he's got a fractured skull and hematoma. They just took him back for surgery to relieve the pressure on the brain. They have to stop the bleeding or-or. . . .' His voice cracked."

Reviews:

Last week I shared three books in my Friday Fun post. Here are the links to the two I finished.

Lethal Licorice by Amanda Flower

Once Upon a Christmas by Penny Zeller

And here is the link to the review of a book I shared a few weeks ago on Friday Fun:

Malice in Wonderland by Tabitha M. Corvin

Lethal Licorice by Amanda Flower Review

 

Lethal Licorice by Amanda Flower is another great cozy mystery set in the small town of Harvest, Ohio. This time the setting is during am Amish candy contest. Bailey is taking the place of her recently deceased Amish grandfather, representing Swissman Sweets. It is quite the controversy that she, a non Amish, us being allowed to compete. Suddenly the person who loudly protested her participation is found dead, by Bailey herself and a young Amish lady. It seems evidence is leading to either this young lady or Bailey herself, and she once again gets involved trying to discover what happened. At the same time, she, and the community, is trying to find another community member's beloved pet pig.

I really enjoyed this book and getting to read more about Bailey and this community, though not really Christian fiction, it is clean and faith is brought into the story when it comes to the church being an important building in the plot, and talk of God and Amish beliefs.
I cant wait to read the 3rd book.

Malice in Wonderland by Tabitha M. Corvin Review

Oh wow, Malice in Wonderland by Tabitha M. Corvin is an awesome book, and awesome start of a series. I'm a huge fan of fairytale retelling, so when I read the description of this book I was quite intrigued. Alice in Wonderland, but also including Frankenstein? I had to see where the author was going with that. 

The story is told from multiple points of view, alternating chapters between Alice, Hatter, and Alpha. Oh, and did I mention the book also includes pirates. Yeah, that would be Alice and Hatter along with the rest of the crew of course. 

And it's a steampunk retelling, so we've got flying ships and automatons.

Lots of adventure and action, plus a love story, mentions of faith, missing royalty, and awesome twists. I just loved the way the author wove everything together and I can't wait to read book two, Rage in Wonderland.

Reading Challenges 2024: November Update

Here is what I read for my challenges in November:

For the November challenge in the Avid Readers of Christian Fiction FB group I needed a book that talks about a holiday in the storyline.. I read three books that count for this challenge. Christmas in the Castle Library by Ann Swindell, Matchmaking the Cowboy by Emily Conrad, and Christmas in Bethel by Richard Paul Evans.

For the challenge over at Crystal Caudill's blog, I read Beyond the Horizon by Penny Zeller. 

For the challenge in the Eating Our Words FB group I read Dragonfly Ashes by C.C. Warrens for my November 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. In November I also read Lethal Licorice by Amanda Flower for the February prompt.

For the challenge in The Posse FB group, I read Night Falls on Predicament Avenue by Jaime Jo Wright.

For November, I am on the Lucy Maud Montgomery side of the flow chart in the Read Your Bookshelf challenge from Chantel Reads All Day I read Christmas in the Castle Library by Ann Swindell.

Sadly I did NOT get to The Heart of the Mountains by Pepper Basham. Almost every book I read in November was again an ARC and I just didn't have time for this book.

Out of the eight books I read in November, I really wasn't sure if any would count as a book with thankfulness as a theme.

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.

In June I read books set in the following new states (though I did also return to Kentucky, Alaska, and Idaho):

California: Beyond the Silence by Tracie Peterson and Kimberley Woodhouse
Florida: The Women of Wynton's by Donna Mumma 

And I traveled back to England again with The British Booksellers by Kristy Cambron. I also traveled to Thailand with Because of You by Hannah Currie, a fantasy land inside the Bermuda Triangle with The Sword in His Hand by J.J. Fischer, and the area in eastern Egypt and around Israel/ancient Canaan with Wings of the Wind by Connilyn Cossette.

In July I read books set in the following new states (though I did also return to Alaska, Massachusets, Minnesota, and Virginia)

Alabama: When Secrets Come Calling by Felicia Ferguson, and What We Hide by Colleen Coble and Rick Acker

Texas: If the Boot Fits by Karen Witemeyer

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

Montana: Under the Stars by Cali Black

Pennsylvania: The Mobster's Daughter by Rachel Scott McDaniel

And I traveled back to England again with The Light Keeper's Wife by Jennifer Mistmorgan. I also traveled to Scotland with Finishing School by Jennifer Mistmorgan

In September the books I read didn't take me to any new states (though I did return to Arkansas, Iowa, Missouri, North Carolina, and Tenessee). 

In October I read a book set in the following new states(though I did also return to Kentucky, Minnesota, Missouri, Oregon, and Tennesee):

Nebraska: Sookie's Silence by Marisa Masterson (read in November for October's Unlocking challenge)

And I traveled back to England again with Never Forgotten by Hannah Linder. Plus I visitied Cambodia with A Boy Named Rindy by Olivia Talbott, and a fictional Asian island country with  The Trials of the Title byJoy Crain.

In November the books I read didn't take me to any new states (though I did return to Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, and Ohio).

And I traveled to a fictional European country with Christmas in the Castle Library by Ann Swindell.

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

June:

D: Dreams on the Horizon by Penny Zeller (already had D, but this was for the mini challenge)

July:

V: Virginia Company Bride by Gabrielle Meyer (already had V, but this was for the mini challenge)

August:

D: Dust and Crown by Havelah McLat (already had D, but this was for the mini challenge)

September:

I only have a handful of letters yet to read, and none of the books I read this month started with those letters. 

October: 

B: A Boy Named Rindy by Olivia Talbott (already had B, but this was for the mini challenge)

November:

L: Lethal Licorice by Amanda Flower (already had L, but this was for the mini challenge)

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 

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

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

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

Scotland: Finishing School by Jennifer Mistmorgan

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

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

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

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. 

In June, still didn't happen. 

In July I read Home for Christmas by Colleen Coble, Carol Cox, Terry Fowlre, and Gail Gaymer Martin.

In August, I read Murder Goes Caroling by Malissa Chapin.

In September I read Love and Christmas Cookies by A.M. Heath

In October I read Christmas in the Cascades by Marissa Adams, April Kidwell, Marline Williams, Chris Daniel, and Cali Black
In November I read Christmas in the Castle Library by Ann Swindell and Christmas in Bethel by Richard Paul Evans.

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

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

In July, none of the books I read fit this challenge

In August, 1 of the books I read fit this challenge

In September, 1 of the books I read fit this challenge

In October, 3 of the books I read fit this challenge

In November, 1 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: Beyond the Silence by Tracie Peterson and Kimberley Woodhouse

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: Sookie's Silence by Marisa Masterson

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: The Women of Wynton's by Donna Mumma

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

24. That is considered women’s fiction: Reckless Love by Kate Goodwin

25. Featuring a Jewish character: Wings of the Wind by Connilyn Cossette

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: Under the Stars by Cali Black

33. That takes place in a national park: Terminal Danger by Jerusha Agen

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

35. By a male author: Christmas in Bethel by Richard Paul Evans

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: My Way by Ashley Al-Saliby

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: The Sword in His Hand by J.J. Fischer

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: The British Booksellers by Kristy Cambron

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

In June, 3 of the books I read fit this challenge

In July, 3 of the books I read fit this challenge

In August, none of the books I read fit this challenge

In September, none of the books I read fit this challenge

In October, 1 of the books I read fit this challenge

So, here it is:

1- Takes place in Israel: Wings of the Wind by Connilyn Cossette

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: Beyond the Silence by Tracie Peterson and Kimberley Woodhouse

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: Names of God: Living Unafraid by Grace Fox

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: What We Hide by Colleen Coble and Rick Acker 

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: A Boy Named Rindy by Olivia Talbott

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: Coal Black Lies by Cindy K. Sproles

47. Fairytale: If the Boot Fits by Karen Witemeyer

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 104 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.