Friday Fun - April 4, 2025

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 Specters in ther Glass House by Jaime Jo Wright for one of my March reading challenges.

I'm currently reading Whatever it Takes by Sarah Hanks as a member of the launch team. The book releases next week on April 9th.

        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:

 Specters in the Glass House by Jaime Jo Wright:

"Death had always been fashionable."

I was quite intrigued and wanted to know where the author was going with that sentence.

Whatever it Takes by Sarah Hanks:

"'Smile, Everly, it's not a funeral." Ivy's cheery tone masks the lapse of judgment in choosing her words."

I wondered why the mention of a funeral was relevant.

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:

Specters in the Glass House by Jaime Jo Wright:

 

"Too much had changed already. The Arnold name was tarnished in Milwaukee. A brewery gone under because of Prohibition, and now a man was hanged in what remained of the estate?"

Whatever it Takes by Sarah Hanks:

"Muted background noises of phone calls and beeping monitors pepper the room. A few seats from me, an elderly man with an oxygen tank, the only other person in the area stares blankly ahead. Awkward silence swirls around us. I should say something, but what? I hardly know my btother-in-law."

Reviews:

Last week I shared two books in my Friday Fun post. I ended up having to set both of those books aside, but I hope to be able to share the links to my reviews next week.

Two weeks ago I shared two books in my Friday Fun post. I previoiusly shared the link to the one, here is the link to the other:

These Long Shadows by Jennifer Mistmorgan

These Long Shadows by Jennifer Mistmorgan Review

I loved These Long Shadows by Jennifer Mistmorgan, the third book in the On Victory's Wings series. 

This book focuses on Katie and Jonty, a couple who married for convenience after Katie finds herself pregnant out of wedlock. This book takes place toward the end of WW2, after the Germans have been defeated, but Japan has not. 

The book begins with a short prologue where Jonty offers to marry Katie, but then skips two years into the future where Jonty is being demobilized and coming back home to Katie, even though at sometime in the past she had had wanted nothing more to do with him. We learn more about the time between his proposal and his homecoming though flashbacks in the story. Along with what happened to him to cause nightmares that have him calling out the name of another woman in his sleep. 

Katie and Jonty's relationship was definitely on rocky ground and they had a lot to work though, but the reader can tell that Jonty truly loves Katie even though she would prefer to keep him at arms length, or further. 

Making the relationship even more tricky is Katie's friendship with Jan, a man who has been there for her because he is related to her family's next door neighbor. However, after some suspicious actions, Jan suddenly ends up missing. 

There's intrigue and mystery, though not really any suspense (not that I was expecting there to be). The book focuses mostly on the relationships between Katie and Jonty, between Katie and her family and friends, between Jonty and his uncle. It's also a book about lives getting back to normal after the war and struggles they faced.

I love these relationships and getting to see characters from the previous books with updates on their lives now. 

And the author added in some interesting twists I didn't see coming. The author did a wonderful job of bringing these characters to life and making me care about them. There were definitely some tears shed and I was rooting for Katie and Jonty to work through their problems and make their marriage work. 

In case it is a concern to some there are mentions of baby loss, infertility, affairs, and mentions of an attack on a family by the Nazis. 

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 - March 28, 2025

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'm starting A Dance in Donegal by Jennifer Deibel for one of my March reading challenges.

I'm also starting When the Sky Burned by Liz Tolsma.

        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:

  A Dance in Donegal by Jennifer Deibel:

"The grandfather clock downstairs chimed the hour, its clangs all too reminiscent of the funeral bells presiding over Mother's service just yesterday morning."

Sad beginning.

When the Sky Burned by Liz Tolsma:

"On the easel in front of Mariah Randolph sat a blank canvas, as white and pristine as a snowy morning."

I saw this as being either looking forward to a new beginning, or a frustration possibly because she wasn't sure what to paint.

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:

A Dance in Donegal by Jennifer Deibel:

 

"The muted thuds and clanks coming from the kitchen told Moira her hostess was busy cleaning from the afteroon meal and likely making preparations for dinner. She stared at the closed door to the kitchen. Her shoulders slumped. Although she understood the work in a guesthouse was never done, she had hoped Bríd would join her for lunch and provide insights into her new community."

When the Sky Burned by Liz Tolsma:

"Mariah gasped, 'No. What happened?'
'I'm not sure, but he's on the ground and not responding. Lydia, I need your help to get him in the house. He's right outside the door.'
'Of course.'
For a few moments, only the ticking of the wall clock kept Mariah company. That and the pounding of her heart against her ribs."

Reviews:

Last week I shared two books in my Friday Fun post. I'm still reading the one, and I shared the other link last week.

Two weeks ago I shared one book in my Friday Fun post. Here is the review:

Justice Denied by Sarah Hamaker

Three weeks ago I shared two books in my Friday Fun post. I finished both of them,and shared the link to the one last week. Here is the link to the other:

Heart of Courage by Penny Zeller

Justice Denied by Sarah Hamaker Review

 

Justice Denied by Sarah Hamaker was a great romantic suspense story that drew me right in. There was danger and intrigue and mystery. Like the first book in the series, this is a miscarriage of justice story. Just who WAS behind the embezzling that Jetta's father had been accused of 15 years earlier? With all the danger coming at them, was it really worth continuing to look into it? There were multiple people who could have been the culprit and multiple people who could be behind the current attacks. 

Jetta and Seth, her mother's next door neighbor who just happens to be a photographer for the local newspaper, are working together to try to discover the truth. Would they ever be able to move their personal relationship beyond friendship though? Jetta's mom sure thinks they should. But both Jetta and Seth have their own issues they need to work through. I admit, I did start to get a bit frustrated with Jetta, but knowing what she had been through does sort of explain why.

We get to see the story from multiple points of view. Not just Jetta's and Seth's, but her mom's and members the family that owns Topher Robotics, the business Jetta's father worked for before the accusations of embezzlement and his death, along with another character who somehow plays a part. 

Being able to see the story from the points of view helps the reader to have some idea what exactly happened, but still leaves us in suspense because it still isn't clear who exactly the culprit is. 

I really enjoyed this story, though there were some things I felt weren't quite wrapped up at the end that left me a bit confused. Still it was a great book. I loved that we got to see characters from the previous book. Additionally, faith was an important part of the story. And when I am reading Christian fiction, that is what I hope to see. 

Definitely a book I highly recommend. Though it is a stand alone story, if you are like me and don't want any relationship spoilers, you will want to read book one, Justice Delayed, 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 - March 21, 2025

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 Waylaid by Jerusha Agen which releases next week..

I'm reading These Long Shadows by Jennifer Mistmorgan which released today.

        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:

  Waylaid by Jerusha Agen:

"A pop pierced the night."

Well that doesn't sound good.

These Long Shadows by Jennifer Mistmorgan

"The restaurant swam around her, but at least the nausea had eased enough for her to be out of bed."

I was curious why she was in a restaurant if she wasn't feeling well.

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:

Waylaid by Jerusha Agen:

 

"He probably shouldn't admit he'd seen the message. Could get him on the wrong foot with her. But his gut told him she was in far worse trouble than the confession would bring him. He'd take the risk. 'I saw that text.'"

These Long Shadows by Jennifer Mistmorgan

"Begging for her life. 
He blinked away the thought as his breath quickened. 
But the blinking didn't help. He simply opened his eyes to a new, more horrifying vision of her with a red-rimmed bullet hole between her eyes."

Reviews:

Last week I shared one book in my Friday Fun post. I am still reading that book. 

Two weeks ago I shared two books in my Friday Fun post. I finished both of them, but have only had the chance to write the review for one of them:

The Scarlet Ribbon by Naomi Stephens

And here is my review for Waylaid by Jerusha Agen

Waylaid by Jerusha Agen Review

 

Waylaid by Jerusha Agen is a wonderful start to her new Windy City Westons series. The main Weston sibling in this story is Spring Weston. She had a promising career in pro cycling ahead of her until she was struck by a vehicle and left paralyzed. Though a Christian, she wishes she had just died instead of being forced to live such a life. And it appears there is someone who would be willing to fulfil her wish of being dead, someone who has been sending her threatening text messages, warning her to be quiet and not tell anyone what she remembers. The confusing problem is. . . she doesn't think she knows anything worth being threatened over. Yet, there is one thing that may have caused someone or someones to be trying to eliminate her, but would they really resort to such tactics. So, she is now living in fear, as well as depression over her situation. 

Police officer Torin Cotter has been put on her case to try to figure out who ran her over. Was it just an accident as it had been determined, or was there more to it? When he learns some of what may have been involved, he begins to wonder if the reason Spring isn't sharing details is because she herself is involved in something illegal. Of  course, as we get to see both of their points of view, we know what her involvement truly is. And there are things from Torin's past that are affecting the situation which make Spring unsure of his feelings. 

As events unfold, the author adds in some twists that truly took me by surprise. Both of the main characters had a lot to work through while dealing with an unknown villain and then an obvious villain who brings danger to multiple people. Yet, all is still not quite as it seems. Who is working behind the scenes? The final reveal was quite shocking. I love the way the author wrapped everything up and brought it together in the end. Thankfully the book did not end in a cliff hangar. I'm looking forward to reading more stories based on the Weston siblings, all of whom we met in this story. 

I really appreciated that faith was a central part of this story. Spring was dealing with quite a bit of anger and depression, wishing multiple times in the story that her life would just end as she couldn't see living her life paralyzed. She wrestled quite a bit with not feeling worth loving. And Torin was dealing with his own demons. However, the Gospel message is shared along with the importance of truly putting one's trust in Jesus. 

An awesome book and one I highly 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. 

The Scarlet Ribbon by Naomi Stephens Review

 

The Scarlet Ribbon is the first book I have read by Naomi Stephens and I really enjoyed it. Told from two points of view, this story takes place during the Revolutionary War, but is also a retelling of the story of Rahab from the Old Testament.

Rebekah Stanton has been abandoned by those who should love her. Her father turned her back on her when it became public knowledge that she gave birth to a baby out of wedlock. The father of the baby, a British Loyalist and soldier had left her before even knowing she was pregnant. Leaving her to face the consequences of their indescretion on her own. With nowhere else to turn, she finds herself turning to prostitution in the local boarding house. 

Benjamin Renshaw, known by his alias Ben Clarke for the majority of the story, comes upon said boarding house one night, having been shot. Rebekah cares for him and keeps his identity hidden from the British soldiers with great peril to herself, but then he is gone as fast as he arrived. 

However, circumstances eventually bring them together again. But at the same time, Mason, the father of her child, is also back in the area. She wonders if he ever loved her, and more importantly, if he would be able to love her now, especially if he finds out the truth of her "occupation" or if he finds out about their son and what she was forced to do with him. 

Lots of intrigue and deception and danger surround the main characters. Rebekah as she has to decide whether of not to tell the whole truth about herself and her past. And Ben as he is a Patriot rebel and spy. It is a tense situation and time leading up to the Battle of Stony Point, a battle that attempts to bring the fort back under the control of the Patriots. A battle I admit not remembering learning about.

There were a lot of emotions that I felt when thinking about Rebekah and all she had gone through and was going through. Not only was she denied the love of those who should have loved her, but she was constantly being used by those who only wanted her for one thing. Would she be able to win Mason back? Was Ben also only interested in her for what she could do for him or could there be something more between them? I did get frustrated with her at times as she continued to keep the truth hidden. But I also understood the struggle she was going through, a struggle even more difficult because she had to choose between being a Loyalist or a Patriot. Though she didn't really see how either loyalty would make a difference in her life, being what she was. 

Also important in this story was faith and repentence. We see both Ben and Rebekah struggling with spiritual issues and being guided by Reverend Wainwright. Additionally, it was brought up that as Christians there would have been the struggle between obeying the rulers that were over them, as in the King of England, or choosing freedom. 

And I have to say, I loved the way the author brought the red ribbon into the story as the parallel to the story of Rahab. 

Of course, this story is based on Rahab and there is no secret that Rebekah is a prostitute. And yes, there are plenty of mentions of this in the book, which includes multiple mentions of men being in her bed or and staring at her lustily. For that reason I would say the book would be appropriate for adults and possibly older teens. Though there is nothing graphic shared and it is closed door. 

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

Friday Fun - March 14, 2025

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 one book to share with you.

I'm starting Justice Denied by Sarah Hamaker which releases next week..

        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 is my Book Beginnings/First Line Friday selection:

  Justice Denied by Sarah Hamaker:

"Jetta Ainsley stood at the kitchen counter sorting through the mail from the past two days."

I wondered if there was a reason why she had two days of mail to sort through. 

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 is my Friday 56 selection:

Justice Denied by Sarah Hamaker:

 

"A few tears trickled down her mother's cheeks. 'Oh, if only this had arrived on time, your father might still be alive.'"

Reviews:

Last week I shared two books in my Friday Fun post. I am still reading one of them. And I finished the other one, but I haven't had a chance to write my review yet as I ended up with the stomach bug. However, here are some reviews from previous weeks that I hadn't had a chance to link to yet.

Dawn of Grace by Jill Eileen Smith

Written in Secret by Crystal Caudill

Ambush by Colleen Coble

Written in Secret by Crystal Caudill Takeover & Review Blitz

Welcome to the Takeover + Review Blitz for Written in Secret by Crystal Caudill hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

 

Title: Written in Secret 

Series: The Art of Love and Danger #1 

Author: Crystal Caudill 

Publisher: Kregel Publications 

Release Date: March 11, 2025 

Genre: Christian Mystery & Suspense Romance 

What happens when fiction becomes reality? In the corruption-infested Queen City, danger lurks in every shadow, but Lydia Pelton refuses to stay silent. She writes under a pseudonym, E. A. Dupin, crafting crime novels to exact justice and right the wrongs she sees in society. When a serial killer decides to be the sword to her pen, Lydia is confronted with the consequences of her words. Four men are dead, and the city blames her. 

With murders on the rise, Officer Abraham Hall's only lead is Lydia's fiction, and he is thrust into an investigation with the "Killer Queen of Romance." Despite his misgivings about the woman, he realizes that even with his reputation for catching elusive criminals, he needs her help. But his unexpected attraction to Lydia proves as difficult to manage as the woman herself. 

As the mystery unfolds, Abraham and Lydia race to rewrite the ending, not only for Cincinnati's citizens, but for their own hearts too.

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Kregel Publications | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Christianbook | Bookshop

Also Available

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About the Author

Crystal Caudill is the Christy Award–winning author of “dangerously good romance,” including the Hidden Hearts of the Gilded Age series. She is a stay-at-home mom and caregiver, and when she isn’t writing, Caudill can be found playing board games with her family, drinking hot tea, or reading other great books at her home outside Cincinnati, Ohio.

Connect with Crystal by visiting crystalcaudill.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.

___________________________________________________________________________________

My thoughts:

Written in Secret is a wonderful start to Crystal Caudill's The Art of Love & Danger series. It grabbed my attention right away and wouldn't let go. I loved the premise of this story. An author, Lydia Pelton, has been writing dime stories under the pseudonym of Dupin, because it wasn't acceptable for women in the 1800s to be writing crime stories. These stories are based off cases that have taken place in the Queen City (Cincinati, OH). Due to the corruption of the justice system there are some criminals who have gotten off without justice being served. So, Lydia has written their stories where they end up punished in the end. Unfortunately someone has been using her stories to bring revenge on these criminals. They are being killed the way the were in the books. 

Officer Abraham Hall is not a fan of dime novels and discovering that someone is using them in this nefarious way is just cementing his feelings against them. He is put on this case to discover the identity of Dupin and figure out who is killing these criminals. He's also not sure what to think of Lydia and finds himself drawn to her, but then repulsed when truth is revealed. I wasn't sure if there would be a way for them to get together, and for a while I wasn't sure if I wanted them to get together. Though the author did a great job with their relationship. 

There was plenty of mystery and suspense and danger along with the romance. Faith was important in the story. There was a huge reminder of letting God be the Sovereign judge and not taking matters into our own hands. I love that the characters prayed to God and listened for His voice in hard decisions. 

I loved this reminder, "Our words have power, Lydia, no matter if they are meant to be fictional or not. We must always be careful in what we say or write and be sure that it is God-glorifying and edifying to those around us."

The author did a great job keeping me on the edge of my seat and keeping me guessing on the identity of the killer. There were multiple suspects and inriguing twists. I missed some clues, but a bit before the killer was revealed, I was leaning toward that person. Except, there were more twists to keep me wondering until the actual reveal. 

I fell in love with these characters and became invested in this story. I highly recommend this book.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

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Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a signed copy of Written in Secrets and a $25 Amazon gift card!

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight March 12, 2025 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on March 19, 2025. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

 

Ambush by Colleen Coble Review

 

Ambush is another gripping romantic suspense by Colleen Coble. I've been a fan of hers since I discovered her books several years ago. This new book did NOT disappoint. I think one of my favorite things about this book is that we get to see characters from two of her previous series. And it wasn't just that these characters were mentioned, they play important roles in this story. 

Ambush introduces us to two new main characters, Paradise and Blake, as well as Blake's family, plus additional family, friends, and a host of characters who COULD be the ones responsible for the dasterdly deeds taking place at the wildlife park, The Sanctuary owned by Blake's mother, Jenna. 

There are a couple of main storylines taking place. Mysteries that need solved. In addition to helping Blake find out why someone seems to be saboutaging The Sanctuary, Paradise is back in the town where she grew up to try to figure out something of great importance to her, even though it meant being in close proximity to Blake, her ex who she hasn't been able to forgive all these years.

I loved the animals in the Sanctuary and the interactions with them, even the hyenas.

There was a point when I was reading that I was thinking, hey, this could even make an enjoyable action movie. Danger coming from multiple sides, both natural and from humans, intrigue, mystery, dangerous animals not fully contained at times. And of course a redemption thread, with faith and learning to trust the Lord. 

Now, to wait impatiently for the next book. If you aren't a fan of cliffhangers and not-fully-resolved storylines, you may just want to wait for the next book to come out before reading this one. You've been warned. 

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 2025: February Update

Here is what I read for my challenges in February: 

For the challenge in the Avid Readers of Christian Fiction group I needed to read a book that featured a fireplace, bonfire, or wood stove in the story or on the cover. I chose to read Heart of the Glen by Jennifer Deibel and The Sweet Life by Suzanne Woods Fisher.

For the Tackle the TBR Pile is from Crystal Caudill's blog I used Kiera by Kate Willis. I'm sure more of the books I read were written by authors of a different generation, but I wasn't sure how to figure out who.

For the challenge in the Eating Our Words FB group I was also able to use The Sweet Life by Suzanne Woods Fisher for my February 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. 

Heart of the Glen by Jennifer Deibel works for March and Short-Straw Bride by Karen Witemeyer works for August.

For the challenge in the Posse FB group I read Short-Straw Bride by Karen Witmeyer.

For the Read Your Bookshelf Challenge from Chantel Reads All Day I used Short-Straw Bride by Karen Witmeyer

I really enjoyed Secondary Target by Angela Carlisle; however, I didn't read it this month. I was on the launch team for it last year.

I finished Kiera by Kate Willis at the beginning of this month for last month's challenge. And I read Storm Warning by Elizabeth Goddard for February.

 

A few of the books I read in February work for the Coffee House Specials challenge in the Faith Filled Fiction FB group I read Short-Straw Bride by Karen Witemember, Heart of the Glen by Jennifer Deibel, and Forgiving the Cowboy by Tabitha Bouldin. Even Storm Warning by Elizabeth Goddard had romance, though it is romantic suspense.

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

In January I read books set in the following states:

Colorado: Cross Check Crush by Dulcie Dameron

Minnesota: Across the Ages by Gabrielle Meyer

Tenesee: Grannies' Matches for Jake by A.M. Heath and Appalachian Song by Michelle Shocklee

Texas: Cloaked in Beauty by Karen Witemeyer

And I traveled to England with A Defense of Honor by Kristi Ann Hunter

In February I read books set in the following states (though I did also return to Texas):

Massachusetts: The Sweet Life by Suzanne Woods Fisher

North Carolina: Forgiving the Cowboy by Tabitha Bouldin
Washington: Storm Warning by Elizabeth Goddard 

And I traveled to Ireland with Heart of the Glen by Jennifer Deibel 

and Israel with Dawn of Grace by Jill Eileen Smith 

Here is what I read for the Alphabet Soup Challenge.

January:

A: Appalachian Song by Michelle Shocklee and Across the Ages by Gabrielle Meyer

C: Cross Check Crush by Dulcie Dameron and Cloaked in Beauty by Karen Witemeyer (mini challenge)

D: A Defense of Honor by Kristi Ann Hunter

F: Forgotten Identity by Penny Zeller
G: Grannies' Matches for Jake by A.M. Heath

February:

F: Forgiving the Cowboy by Tabitha Bouldin (for mini challenge)

H: Heart of the Glen by Jennifer Deibel
K: Kiera by Kate Willis
S: Short-Straw Bride by Karen Witemeyer, Storm Warning by Elizabeth Goddard, and The Sweet Life by Suzanne Woods Fisher

And here is what I read for the Alphabet Soup Author Edition: 

January: 

D: Dulcie Dameron's Cross Check Crush

H: A.M. Heath's Grannies' Matches for Jake

K: Kristi Ann Hunter's A Defense of Honor

M: Gabrielle Meyer's Across the Ages

S: Michelle Shocklee's Appalachian Song

W: Karen Witemeyer's Cloaked in Beauty

Z: Penny Zeller's Forgotten Identity

February:

B: Tabitha Bouldin's Forgiving the Cowboy

E: Elizabeth Goddard's Storm Warning 
F: Suzanne Woods Fisher's The Sweet Life

J: Jennifer Deibel's Heart of the Glen and Jill Eileen Smith's Dawn of Grace

Here's what I read for the 2025 European Reading Challenge from Rose City Reader.

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

England: In Defense of Honor by Kristi Ann Hunter

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

Ireland: Heart of the Glen by Jennifer Deibel 

Here's what I read from my TBR pile for the TBR 25 in '25 challenge also over on the Rose City Reader blog. These books have to have been in my physical TBR pile at home or on my Kindle app prior to the start of 2025.

1- Across the Ages by Gabrielle Meyer

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

In January, 7 of the books I read fit this challenge
In February, 7 of the books I read fit this challenge

Read a book…

1. With a title that starts with L

2. Featuring a woman in STEM

3. With an unreliable narrator 

4. Featuring a stepparent: Kiera by Kate Willis (Feb)

5. With a red cover

6. By a new to you author: A Defense of Honor by Kristi Ann Hunter (Jan)

7. That is a 2025 debut novel 

8. Featuring an unsolved mystery: Storm Warning by Elizabeth Goddard (Feb)

9. By an author who has the same first and last initial: Cross Check Crush by Dulcie Dameron (Jan)

10. That is a fairytale spin off or retelling: Cloaked in Beauty by Karen Witemeyer (Jan)

11. That is considered a classic 

12. With a character you find relatable 

13. From a genre you don’t read often 

14. With an insect on the cover 

15. That is over 500 pages long

16. Set in the mountains 

17. Published in 2025: Forgotten Identity by Penny Zeller (Jan)

18. Written more than 20 years ago 

19. That includes a holiday you don’t celebrate 

20. Published by an Indie author

21. That contains illustrations 

22. Featuring a firefighter or other emergency responder

23. That has a second chance romance 

24. Recommend by a librarian 

25. With a green spine 

26. Set in a bakery or restaurant: The Sweet Life by Suzanne Woods Fisher (Feb)

27. With four or more people on the cover

28. That has won an award

29. Written by a BIPOC author 

30. Set in a different country from you: Heart of the Glen by Jennifer Deibel (Feb)

31. With a one word title 

32. That includes more than 2 POV: Grannies' Matches for Jake by A.M. Heath (Jan)

33. That is a dual or triple timeline: Across the Ages by Gabrielle Meyer (Jan)

34. Set before the 1800s

35. With a bird on the cover 

36. That takes place on or around a train

37. With a blue dress on the cover: Appalachian Song by Michelle Shocklee (Jan)

38. A book with the word at, in, or is in the title 

39. Set in Eastern Europe 

40. Set during WWII

41. That makes you laugh 

42. That features a historical event you remember 

43. With an illustrated or typography cover

44. Set in a cold climate

45. With a hat on the cover: Forgiving the Cowboy by Tabitha Bouldin (Feb)

46. Written by a male author

47. Written in first person pov

48. With little to no romance: Dawn of Grace by Jill Eileen Smith (Feb)

49. By an author with multiple award winning books: Short-Straw Bride by Karen Witmeyer (Feb)

50. That features a pet other than a dog 

Finally, I am joining in again with a second yearly challenge from the Scripture Literature-You Are What You Read FB group. 

In January, 7 of the books I read fit this challenge
In February, 7 of the books I read fit this challenge

1- You Can't Wait: Cloaked in Beauty by Karen Witemeyer (Jan)

2- Whodunit

3- Spin on a Classic

4- A Cardinal Sin: Short-Straw Bride by Karen Witemeyer (Feb)

5- Bibliophile

6- Succumb to Peer Pressure

7- Rom Com

8- Considered Controversial

9- Written by an Apologist

10- Return to a Favorite

11- Think Piece

12- Passage of Time 

13- Good vs Evil

14- Fruit of the Spirit

15- A Book that Mentions a Book

16- Multi-Generational POV: The Sweet Life by Suzanne Woods Smith (Feb)

17- Labor of Love: Appalachian Song by Michelle Shocklee (Jan)

18- Far From Home

19- Child Narrator

20. Debut Novel

21. Small Town

22. Lighthouse

23. Animal on the Cover

24. Book you got for Free

25. An Epic Love Story

26. Amish

27. Features a Character from the Bible: Dawn of Grace by Jill Eileen Smith (Feb)

28. Location Starts with "I": Heart of the Glen by Jennifer Deibel (Feb)

29. A Spooky Read

30. Natural Disaster

31. Overcoming a Tragic Event

32. A Quest: Across the Ages by Gabrielle Meyer (Jan)

33. Harmful Secrets: Forgiving the Cowboy by Tabitha Bouldin (Feb)

34. One Word Title: Kiera by Kate Willis (Feb)

35. Feud

36. A Sea Voyage

37. A Wedding or a Funeral

38. Significant Historical Event: Grannies' Matches for Jake by A.M. Heath (Jan)

39. Female Antagonist: Forgotten Identity by Penny Zeller (Jan)

40. Thriller

41. With a Yellow Cover

42. Missionaries

43. Indie Author

44. Daddy Issues: Cross Check Crush by Dulcie Dameron (Jan)

45. On the Run: Storm Warning by Elizabeth Goddard (Feb)

46. New Release

47. For a Good Cause: A Defense of Honor by Kristi Ann Hunter (Jan)

48. Showbiz

49. Favorite Time Period 

50. Fictional Land

51. Married Couple

52. Orphan

53. Choose your own Adventure  

My Goodreads goal is to read 110 books this year. Last year I had set it at 110 and I ended up reading 122. So far this year I have read 14 books.