What are you reading

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  • connierandel
    connierandel Posts: 1,885 Member
    Oh my! THE EXTRAORDINARY DEATHS OF MRS. KIP was such an amazing book. I definitely would recommend it to anyone. And if the title throws you off like it did me, you will understand more and more as the book progresses.
  • Restfinder
    Restfinder Posts: 2,666 Member
    The Shack is not biblical at all! I don't know if you were meaning that book or THE EXTRODINARY book. I hadn't heard of that one.

    I'm reading LOVE STORIES OF GREAT MISSIONARIES, a non-fiction. It's been interesting. The stories are each pretty short, but it makes the missionaries more real. I've heard of some of them, but not all of them. I want to start THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF HUDSON TAYLOR next.

    I'm about 3/4 of the way through KING by R J Larson. It's fun trying to figure out what biblical character or story she is trying to bring into her story. Some of the scenes seem familiar to me, but I can't pinpoint who she is bringing into the story. Sometimes I think it is Solomon, but then what is happening around him, I think maybe David. He is trying to build a temple to the Lord and ends up marrying a gal to get the land for the Temple. David wasn't allowed to build the temple because he was a warrior, but his son would build it. The king in her story wasn't a warrior like David was, so..., and it seems like he is going to be allowed to build the temple. It also mirrors Solomon in that he married a foreign woman and the people were afraid he would follow her in worshiping her god, but she wasn't much of a follower of her foreign god and ended up becoming a follower of God. So not sure how it fits. All of the stories take place in the OT setting.

  • cmsienk
    cmsienk Posts: 18,880 Member
    edited October 2022
    I'll have to check that out Connie.

    I've been in a reading slump but I'm hoping to pick up a KU Prime deal on Oct. 10/11. There are some KU books I'm interested in
  • connierandel
    connierandel Posts: 1,885 Member
    edited October 2022
    i meant that I was afraid it was controversial like The Shack. It was actually very good. The book had a lot of good biblical truths in it. The story line is a cub reporter being assigned to do the obituary for Mrs. Kip, before she passes. She is assigned this after getting in trouble with the publisher of the paper (note: Kansas City Star). Her boss sends her back after a quick obit and wants her to research her life a bit more. She had an incredible life with an incredible testimony to share. It takes the reporter a while to figure it out, though. The title becomes more clear as you read the book. It has humor and tears.

    Part of the fun of the book is that it takes place here in my area of KC metro.

  • connierandel
    connierandel Posts: 1,885 Member
    edited October 2022
    I just finished a really good audio book by Toni Shiloh. I enjoyed the first in the series so much that I was really excited when this one came out with the same narrator. TO WIN A PRINCE by Toni Shiloh (romance). The books take place in a country (fictional) in Africa. They have strange names,.strange language, etc. I cannot imagine that reading the book would be nearly as enjoyable or authentic as this narrator!!

    I haven't made up my mind what ebook I will start next, but will listen to BODY OF EVIDENCE by Irene Hannon. I am running low on audio books right now. I love the YouTube ones, but can't put on a sleep timer for bed. I have set an alarm so that I can turn it off, but by then I am too awake to go to sleep.

    I have tried listening to MARY by Shannon McNear. I just haven't gotten into it. it is book 2 in a series and I wasn't crazy about book 1, so I will probably try one more time, then not feel bad if I DNF it.
  • Restfinder
    Restfinder Posts: 2,666 Member
    I am almost 3/4 of the way through THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY of Hudson Taylor. He was a missionary to China in the 1800's. It's been very good and hard to put down.

    I'm reading book three in a Deborah Grace White series, A KINGDOM THREATENED.
    I'm re-reading a series from several years ago, a fantasy.
  • Restfinder
    Restfinder Posts: 2,666 Member
    Almost done with my autobiography of Judson Taylor and I've really enjoyed it. I've downloaded Pilgrim's Progress and The Holy War by John Bunyan and will work on those as soon as I finish this other one.

    I'm also working on some other stories, but of course I can't remember the titles right now! LOL! There are a couple of fantasies in the mix, and a MOB with an indian in it. :D
  • Restfinder
    Restfinder Posts: 2,666 Member
    I finished the Autobiography of Hudson Taylor (I see above I said Judson Taylor - oops). It was very good and a super easy read.

    I finished the Indian MOB as well. It was super simple, basic MOB, not very realistic either.

    I'm working on getting through A KINGDOM THREATENED by Grace White, a fantasy. Having trouble staying into this one even though I really enjoyed the first two.

    I finished CIANA'S FORTUNE by Rachel Rosanno, book 3 in a multi-author series. Very good.
  • connierandel
    connierandel Posts: 1,885 Member
    Currently I am reading BREATH OF HEAVEN by Deborah Raney. I have had this checked out for quite a while and just hadn't started on it. I was afraid is was going to be a bit of a tear jerker, and it is. This is her newest book, but is Book #3 of an older series about missionaries.

    I finished THE GOOD WINE by Amy Schisler. This is a split time of a 50 something lady and when she was in her early 20s. It was very good. It was about Italian Catholics, but a great story.

    I also finished THE PREMONITION AT WITHERS FARM by Jaime Jo Wright (dual time susp) - spooky! I love her books and how she ties up all that spooky stuff into the explainable.
  • connierandel
    connierandel Posts: 1,885 Member
    Finished:
    BREATH OF HEAVEN by Deborah Raney (Camfield legacy #3) - It was very good. I guess she would be my all-time favorite author. It did have it's hard moments, though.

    Current:
    RISING FROM ASHES by Rebecca Hartt (suspense) - This is good. It takes place on a military base and is about Navy SEALS, but isn't really war related.
    A GEM OF TRUTH by Kimberly Woodhouse (historical) - For some reason I like Harvey Girls books and books that take place in National Parks. This series takes place in the Grand Canyon. This is book 2 in the Secrets of the Canyon series.
  • Restfinder
    Restfinder Posts: 2,666 Member
    Working on book one of a fantasy re-read. It's about a made up world where worship of the true God is forbidden and death is the punishment if you are found out. There is a group of people who have a camp in the woods where the persecuted can go. It's very good.

    I started on Pilgrim's Progress too. It's been quite awhile since I read that one.
  • connierandel
    connierandel Posts: 1,885 Member
    I just finished Michele Olson's 4th book, BEING WENDY (IN A WORLD AFRAID TO GROW UP) by Michele Olsen - KU. Her first book is BEING LUCY IN A WORLD THAT LOVES LUCY. These books have a totally different voice, have a bit of mystery, quirky characters, great faith elements and take place in the late 1970's early 1980's on Mackinac Island. I always look forward to her next book....next one will be for Nancy Drew fans.
  • Restfinder
    Restfinder Posts: 2,666 Member
    I am on the third book in my fantasy re-read. It seems to reflect the OT, but in a made-up world. Those dedicated to "Elom", God, are being hunted and killed (which sounds like the early Church, but they are still looking for the Savior). It is a world like the OT world where people worship gods and are very wicked.

    I finished a missionary story about Lucy Thurston: GOD'S GRACE WAS SUFFICIENT. She and her husband, with other couples, were the first missionaries to Hawaii. Sometimes it almost felt JW-ish, but near the end, there were more references to Jesus, rather than just Jehovah. I think it is self-published because I couldn't find a publisher. I did enjoy it though. Her great (great?) granddaughter found her journals and researched the missionaries at this time. It reads more like a story than reading from a journal.

  • connierandel
    connierandel Posts: 1,885 Member
    I just finished FALLING FOR THE COWGIRL by Jody Hedlund (historical) - more steam than story. I usually like her books, but I was not impressed at all. I though about DNF, but decided it was okay to fall asleep to...if I fell asleep before timer stopped it, I didn't miss much and it didn't make me want to restart the timer.

    I also finished some of the Heros of Freedom Ridge books. This is a multi author series set during the holidays and are pretty light and easy reads.
    FAITH IN THE HERO by Jessie Gussman (Freedom Ridge #13) KU
    INSPIRED BY THE HERO by Elle E Kay (Heroes of Freedom Ridge #15) KU
    SECOND CHANCE WITH THE HERO by Liwen Y Ho (Heroes of Freedom Ridge #14) KU

  • Restfinder
    Restfinder Posts: 2,666 Member
    I noticed that about Jody Hedlund as well. I started her series where each book starts with an E and looks medieval, but struggled with the steam as well.

    I'm reading Pilgrim's Progress, been a lot of years since I've read it. I'm also still working on my re-read of a fantasy series that takes some of the OT stories and hints at them in these stories. Right now I am reading SAMARA'S PERIL by J L Knight; it seems that Messiah has shown up in the land of Samara and the evil people want to invade this country. Not sure how that fits in since Rome was already in control of Israel at the time Jesus came, but like I said, hints of the Bible in this - although it does have a strong message in it.
  • connierandel
    connierandel Posts: 1,885 Member
    I actually preordered a boxed set of Christmas books. I paid a whole 99 cents for it. Anyway, I thought it might be good, and some of the novellas are pretty good, some are okay. It has 23 books in it (almost 2000 pages), and that is WAY too many to start toward the end of the month. I am going to try to finish it today.
    I am currently on book #16.
    Christmas Wishes and Cowboy Kisses anthology.
  • Restfinder
    Restfinder Posts: 2,666 Member
    Heather Blanton has had that one in her Newsletter the past month. She has a contest every month and this month it is about the strangest thing we've ever found. While going through Mom's kitchen stuff we came across something we have no idea what it is, so I put that on there. It looks like small tongs would look, but it has a sharp paddle-looking thing on one of the sides and then a slot with a stop on the other side. It only goes through the slot about 1/4 of an inch. Maybe it slices celery! Who knows!

    We got a little more than a bushel and a half of apples to dehydrate and freeze for this winter. We haven't even opened the dehydrator yet, but we used to have a different kind. This one has six shelves for drying. A friend has one just like it and likes hers. We got one of those apple peelers that peels, cores, and spiralizes at the same time, so it should help get the job done more quickly. We also have an Avid Armour compartment thing that sucks the air out of the bags (ugh, totally lost that word - I just have dehydrating on my mind and this word just won't show up!). So we will use that to freeze some of the apples. We'll probably do that this weekend. I'm eating an Ambrosia apple right now and it is soooo good. We also got some fuji, honey gold, honey crisp, and granny smith ones. We want to see which ones work the best. The Googling of the topic gave every kind of apple under the sun as being the best ones to dehydrate - so we will make our own test.

    Well, I better let you get back to what you were doing. I need to go and find my monthly reading list! Eek!

  • cmsienk
    cmsienk Posts: 18,880 Member
    edited November 2022
    Hey Kim, were you looking for the words 'vacuum sealer'? That's what I was picturing from your description.

    I love dehydrated apples. Sounds like a fun project!
  • connierandel
    connierandel Posts: 1,885 Member
    I finished CRIME AND POETRY by Amanda Flower (cozy) - too much "magic". I have enjoyed the books I have read before, so I checked out 3 from this series. I really didn't like it at all. The series is about a bookshop that is magical. I guess it would be cute for some people, but it didn't fit for me. I haven't returned the other two, but don't see myself listening to them.

    Currently I am reading CHRISTMAS HUMMINGBIRD by Davis Bunn. So far, this is good. It is one of the Miramar Bay books and it takes place during wildfires...where they rescue a hummingbird.
  • Restfinder
    Restfinder Posts: 2,666 Member
    That's it, Cindy! Thank you! We have a bushel and a half of apple to do this weekend - loads of fun! Can't wait to get to it.

    I'm going to try that one pan chicken dinner tonight - will let you know how it is.

    Still working on the same books. I tried to start the fourth book in a series that I had been reading, but just could not get into it. I did download through KU some Hallee Bridgeman stories (her recent miliary ones).
  • connierandel
    connierandel Posts: 1,885 Member
    Kim - I am getting ready to start the most recent of that Hallee Bridgeman series. They are a bit more intense than most of her books, but very good.

    I have been listening to some Hallmark audio books through the library. There are some really good Christmas ones and most are sqeaky clean. The last one had one inappropriate word in about the last 2 minutes of the book...so unnecessary!
  • Restfinder
    Restfinder Posts: 2,666 Member
    I hate when they do that. I don't like to read on from a bad word, but that close to the end I probably would - cringe! I don't have cable anymore so I won't be watching the Hallmark movies this Christmas. We watch Pluto, Roku TV, and YouTube, so unless they show up there it's not likely we'll see any this year.

    I finished SAMARA'S PERIL by Jaye Knight and will go on to the last book in this series, EXILES. They've met "Jesus" whom the book calls Elon (God the Father is Elom). Sometimes these stories get pretty intense. BITTER WINTER is the last book in the story. It's basically and good vs evil story.

    I'm on Stage Six in Pilgrim's Progress, about halfway through. The Giant Despair has just captured Christian and Hopeful!


  • connierandel
    connierandel Posts: 1,885 Member
    edited November 2022
    Kim - Hallmark is on Roku Live TV (free). It isn't the regular Hallmark, but the Hallmark Movie Channel. Channel 387 on Roku Live. There are so many channels there that it is hard to keep up with. With all of the freebies, why pay for TV? We have cable because Bill can't figure out how to navigate the Roku/Fire TV, but I set it up for him. I want to get rid of cable, but my BIL doesn't want to go to Roku, so we will wait a while.

    Here is a printable list of Roku live channels. https://thechannellist.com/roku-channels-list/

    I am currently reading Liz Isaacson's TRACE. It is pretty good. I was wanting something a bit different than romantic suspense, so this works.

    I finished HONOR'S REFUGE by Hallee Bridgeman (Love and Honor #3). One of the monthly reading challenges that I do every month had to have a veteran in the story, so this worked well. I have really enjoyed the series.

    I will start on an audiobook before bed tonight. I am not sure what I will listen to. I picked out a bunch of older or unknown authors on hoopla to finish out my October allotment. Most of the them are my first to expire, so I will try something I don't know much about. We will see. I have some new books that just came out on Libby, but they are later expirations.

  • Restfinder
    Restfinder Posts: 2,666 Member
    I'm reading the first book in that Hallee Bridgeman series, Connie, and enjoying it a lot. Lots of military jargon - hard for my brain to figure out what they are talking about. LOL!

    I started to read PERIL by Tara Grayce. It was supposed to be one of those novellas that author's add to series to explain or give us parts that got left out. This one ended up being a short length novel! I've read this series at least three times! Love it.

    Also continuing to read Pilgrim's Progress as well.
  • connierandel
    connierandel Posts: 1,885 Member
    I decided to listen to another Hallmark audiobook instead of the next to expire.

    Finished:
    CHRISTMAS IN EVERGREEN: BELLS ARE RINGING by Lacey Baker (Hallmark) - didn't hear any inappropriate language in this one.
    TRACE by Liz Isaacson (romance) KU
    KEEPING WATCH by Jane M Choate (LIS)

    Current:
    THE AMISH QUILTMAKER’S UNCONVENTIONAL NIECE by Jennifer Beckstrand (Amish)

    I need to find another audiobook before bed tonight. I think I will start one that I don't really care about because if I get really involved in something, I won't sleep well. It seems like that happens a lot that on Saturday night I have a hard time sleeping and just keep resetting the sleep timer on my book. Then I have to get up a lot earlier on Sunday to get everything done, get Bill up and prod him along to get ready for church.

  • cmsienk
    cmsienk Posts: 18,880 Member
    Just finished book one - Honor Bound - in the Hallee Bridgman Love and Honor Series. Downloading and starting book two now - Word Of Honor.
  • connierandel
    connierandel Posts: 1,885 Member
    I really have enjoyed that series.

    Currently reading EXIT BETTY by Grace Livingston Hill. I needed to read something that made me feel nostalgic for a reading challenge. Her books always make me think about college and my roommate that introduced them to me.

    I finished A STITCH IN TIME by Allison Bottke (wms fict). I didn't know what to expect with this one, but it was very good. It was about a woman that had gastric bypass surgery and lost 150 pounds. She went through a lot of marital issues, health issues and family issues. I wouldn't have chosen it except I was running low on books I was wanting to listen to on hoopla and still had some borrows left for October.

    I don't have an audiobook going right now. I have a couple more that didn't really excite me from my October borrows, so I will pick another to start before bed. I am looking forward to getting through those and get to some new books that came up from libby.

    After the first of November, I noticed a genre on the hoopla site that was listed as "westerns". I decided to check what was there and there are a bunch of Christian and clean authors on there with contemporary books. One series by Liz Isaacson that she never put on KU is there, so that will help with November. It seems like they haven't bought many Christian audiobooks recently.
  • cmsienk
    cmsienk Posts: 18,880 Member
    I am also enjoying it. I finished book two -
    Word Of Honor ‐ this morning. Heading outside for some yard work. Will probably download book 3 and start on that tonight
  • Restfinder
    Restfinder Posts: 2,666 Member
    I'm still working on HONOR BOUND. I'm reading Christiana's story from Pilgrim's Progress as well, as listen to that one first, then I am working on two other books, HONOR BOUND and REALM OF THORNS by R J Larson (Hoopla borrow). I'm enjoying them all very much.
  • connierandel
    connierandel Posts: 1,885 Member
    Wow - maybe these desperation borrows from hoopla are not a bad thing. I returned 2 of the Amanda Flower books because I didn't like the "magic" in them, but the actual Christian fiction that I downloaded has been very good.

    Current listen:
    THE BLUE BOTTLE CLUB by Penelope J Stokes (split time) hoopla - Very good. It is a long book, written in 1999, but is good. It is about a reporter that is given a blue bottle (when a house is demolished) with the dreams and plans of a group of girls at about the time of the stock market crash. She tries then to find these women or their stories. I have a couple hours left in it.

    I don't have an ebook going right now, but I have a couple that came up today on libby. One is a Christy award finalist and the other is an old Susan Sleeman book. I will start one or the other when this book is over.