Reading Challenges 2024: May Update

Here is what I read for my challenges in May:

For the May challenge in the Avid Readers of Christian Fiction FB group I needed a book with gardens as a theme or on the cover. I read The Garden Girls by Jessica R. Patch.

For the challenge over at Crystal Caudill's blog, I read The Butterfly Recluse by Therese Heckenkamp.

For the challenge in the Eating Our Words FB group I read The CEO's Companion by Rose Fresquez. for my May 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. 

The Esther Paradigm by Sarah Monzon works for December as it was picked out for May's book over in the Between the Pages group. 

For the challenge in The Posse FB group, I realized The Esther Paradigm by Sarah Monzon would work.

I am continuing the Read Your Bookshelf challenge from Chantel Reads All Day with the Arthur Conan Doyle side of the flow chart. I read so many books this month by new-to-me authors. The Butterfly Recluse by Therese Heckenkamp, Secondary Target by Angela Carlisle, Justice Delayed by Sarah Hamaker, Protector by Megan Schaulis, The Butterfly Recluse by Therese Heckenkamp, The Girl from the Hidden Forest by Hannah Linder, The Crown Conspiracy by Connie Mann, The Esther Paradigm by Sarah Monzon, and Callie and the Pumpkin Seed by Sarah Beran.

I enjoyed The Esther Paradigm by Sarah Monzon.

One of the authors I follow, Malissa Chapin, is also doing a challenge on her FB page, Malissa Chapin's Merry Band of Book Lovers:

I didn't read any book that fit the May prompt.

I read Protector by Megan Schaulis for May's challenge in the Faith Filled Fiction group.

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.

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

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 

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. 

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

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

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

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

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

24. That is considered women’s fiction 

25. Featuring a Jewish character

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 

33. That takes place in a national park 

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

35. By a male author

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

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:

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 

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

So, here it is:

1- Takes place in Israel

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

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

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

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

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

47. Fairytale

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 49 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.

Friday Fun - June 7, 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 just finished reading Shadows at Dusk by Elizabeth Goddard. I wanted to make sure to read this one before starting Hidden in the Night which just released and is book three in the series. 

And yes, I just started reading Hidden in the Night by Elizabeth Goddard.

        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:

  Shadows at Dusk by Elizabeth Goddard:

"The old cargo plane vibrated as the pilot descended into the airdrop zone, the turbulence shuddering through Carrie James."

I had to wonder what they were doing in Africa when I knew from the description of the book that it takes place in Alaska. I wondered what was going to happen to bring her halfway around the world.

Hidden in the Night by Elizabeth Goddard:

"Get in, get out. . . a blizzard's coming."

I wondered where this person needed to get in and out from in a hurry it seemed.

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:

Shadows at Dusk by Elizabeth Goddard:
 

"She opened her mouth and bit down with every intention of taking a chunk. He loosened his grip enough so that she could escape, then she turned and punched him in the nose. Blood spurted, and he covered his face. She grabbed her package and raced to her plane without looking back."

Hidden in the Night by Elizabeth Goddard:

"'See if you can get me a bush pilot with a floatplane to fly down to get us. We can't waste time sitting here while we wait for another boat or this one to be fixed. I just learned that not that long ago, a ferry was stranded for three weeks. Not saying I think that's going to happen here, but please, just get us out of here.'"

Reviews:

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

The CEO's Companion by Rose Fresquez

Callie and the Pumpkin Seed by Sarah Beran

Callie and the Pumpkin Seed by Sarah Beran Review

 

Callie and the Pumpking Seed by Sarah Beran is the first book I've read by this author. I discovered the book when I was requesting suggestions for a book with a fruit in the title. Otherwise, I probably never would have discovered this book. And boy would I have missed out. I loved this book and can't wait to read more by this author. I also want to read more of this series, though the books are all written by different authors, so I am a bit hesitant, seeing as they are all new-to-me authors. 

Callie and the Pumpkin Seed is a retelling of the fairy tale Cinderella. Cinderella is a favorite of mine, and I know there have been multiple retellings through the years, but I really enjoyed this one. And for those who have concerns about magic, this book doesn't have any. 

It takes place in the fictional kingdom of Vallens. There are a lot of similarities to the original story as well as some interesting twists, plus a bit that comes from the fairy tale of The Princess of the Pea. Plus there were some things that reminded me of another retelling I love, the movie Ever After. 

I really don't want to mention any of the different details. I think it was fun looking for the similarities and coming across the differences, the twists that made this story it's own. Of course, because it was a retelling, there were some things that were predictable, but that's what made the differences so fun. And I have to say, I loved the interactions between Callie and Ever, and there were some fun puns. And I just LOVED the little jabs at the original story, things I have seen brought up on social media in the past, such as the reality that there would be many girls that would be able to wear the shoe.

This is definitely a book I recommend. It is listed for ages 12-18, and yes it is perfectly fine for that age group, but I feel it can be perfectly enjoyed by adults as well. 

The CEO's Companion by Rose Fresquez Review

 

The CEO's Companion is the second book I've read by Rose Fresquez. However, this is the first book from the Caregivers series. I had first read one from The Billionaire's Reunion series. I had recognized the last name "Stone" and realized I should start with this series before reading more of the Billionaire's Reunion series. However, I really wish I had started with book 1. It is obvious that the characters are connected. So, I plan to go to the very beginning for my next read by this author.

Plain old contemporary romance is not my go-to genre. However, I have been reading more of it lately, and I am enjoying it. I am definitely enjoying Rose Fresquez's books.

So, about this book. It starts out with Eric Stone, the billionaire CEO, lying in a hospital bed in tons of pain, fighting multiple illnesses, very depressed, and questioning God. Joy Musana comes into his life as a volunteer caregiver, bringing joy and sunshine into his life. Whether he wants it or not. And no, he didn't want her there, but she was persistent.

I loved seeing their relationship evolve. And I loved seeing them both draw closer to the Lord. They had both gone through some really difficult things, but God is there for them. And they are there for each other.
Great book and I can't wait to read the rest of these books.

The Esther Paradigm by Sarah Monzon Review

 

The Esther Paradigm is my first book by Sarah Monzon and I really enjoyed it.

In this story Hannah is returning to the Middle East where she grew up with her missionary parents. She had gone back to the United States for college, but is now returning to start a school with the Bedouin tribe she grew up in. Though her family had lived among these people, adopting their customs for all these years, things are not going too well currently. Their family is being accused of being responsible for the disease that is killing off the clan's sheep, which of course is their livelihood. 

Karim, who was one of Hannah's first friends is now the shiek and wants to protect her and her family. So, he asks Hannah to marry him. Unfortunately, what he had hoped would protect her and her family, doesn't quite go as he planned. 

 I enjoyed being able to get a glimpse into Muslim lives, and not just what we see with the extremists. Though sad that it is so hard for Muslims to be able to convert to Christianity. It made me ponder the question I've had, because of people saying Muslims don't worship the same God, which didn't make sense to me if they come from Abraham though Ishmael.

I appreciated getting to see more of the culture, and that Hannah's family were missionaries living among them, respecting their culture.

There was a bit of emotional roller coaster with some scenes where I was laughing and some intense scenes toward the end of the book. And then there was Hannah being so insecure at times but other times seeming so strong.

I also would have to say I cringed a bit, because of the fact that Hannah was entering a marriage and allowing herself to become unequally yoked. It didn't seem like she, as a Christian, should have agreed to that. To me, that wasn't quite the same as the story of Esther in the Bible where Esther had no choice in the matter. Plus Karim already knew she was a Christian, unlike the king not knowing that Esther was a Jew. Though there are some similarities. 

However, that said, I did enjoy the book, and the author drew me in and did a wonderful job bringing the story to life. I cared about the characters, though Hannah's insecurities annoyed me at times. There were some great secondary characters, including a villain I wasn't quite surprised to discover was the villain. 

Even though I read it because of a reading challenge, it has been on my TBR list for a while. I'm glad I had a chance to finally fit it into my reading schedule.