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  • connierandel
    connierandel Posts: 1,703 Member
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    I totally loved A MIDNIGHT KISS ON EVER AFTER STREET by Jaimie Admans. I'm sure that I will read more in the series is the entire series is on KU. It had one instance of a word I am not comfortable with, but not an overly offensive word. The book was very cute, and no fairy dust involved.

    I also finished:
    THE SONGBIRD OF HOPE HILL by Kim Vogel Sawyer (hist) libby - SO good!
    THE GARDEN GIRLS by Jessica R Patch. It wasn't quite as creepy as it started, but was very suspenseful.
    LOVE ON A WHIM by Suzanne Woods Fisher - another really good one - part of her Cape Cod Creamery series.
    THE VANISHED by Cara Putman (susp) - First book in her newest series.

    Currently I am listening to LOYALLY, LUKE by Pepper Basham (rom). This is the third book in the series and by far the best. The first started with mostly all texts and emails. I don't enjoy epistolary novels that much. It got better the second half of the book. This book has random text conversations, but just a string of a couple that fit into the story.

    Reading: RETURN TO BOONE'S HOLLOW by Kim Vogel Sawyer (hist). This is a follow-up to another of her books that I read, and I totally missed this one. It is on KU and the first book was traditionally published (LIBRARIAN OF BOONE'S HOLLOW). I guess it wasn't highly publicized since it wasn't on any library formats that I usually use for her books.

    I am reading RETURN TO BOONE'S HOLLOW by Kim Vogel Sawyer (hist).
  • Restfinder
    Restfinder Posts: 2,333 Member
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    I am almost finished with FOR A LIFETIME by Gabrielle Meyer. This one is the hardest one of the series for me to get into and I think that it is the time period (Salem Witch Trials, and 1912) as well as one of the characters that make it difficult. The two main characters are twins, both hate 1692 (I think that's the year) and have agreed that they will choose 1912 when they are of age to do so, even though one of the sisters would love nothing better than to change history and get out now! She is self-centered and a thrill seeker and speaks her mind despite the consequences. Her sister is mostly in her shadow, but also is the one who keeps her sister from going to far in the wrong direction. I am reading the e-book available through Hoopla, I couldn't find it in audio book and would have to wait forever to buy it at a reasonable price - LOL!

    I finished NORMAN GRUBB. He was the SIL of CT Studd and ran the missionary society that his FIL started after he died. By faith he started a number a missionary stations in Africa and other places and trusted the Lord to send people to man them - and the Lord did. Not sure who I'll read about next.

    I am also almost finished with a biblical time story, A HAND OUTSTRETCHED by Kirsten Panachyda. This story takes place just after Jesus' death and resurrection in Brittania. The girl in the story becomes an orphan and because of her father's relationship with the Chief and Queen of the land she ends up being a part of their family and becomes best friends with the younger daughter (kindred spirits as Ann of Green Gables would say). She meets an Angel of the Lord who gives her words she will need later, but she has no idea who he is because her tribe lives under a druid who is looking for the Light, but he also has no idea who this Light is. It's really interesting as they seek to find the Lord even in the worst conditions.
  • pianolady831
    pianolady831 Posts: 252 Member
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    Kim, I've noticed that Meyer's books are always highly rated, but I don't think I would enjoy them. For one thing, I don't care for time travel/fantasy, and then the Salem theme would be a turnoff for me. I'm currently reading The Swan House by Elizabeth Musser. It's a complex coming-of-age story set in Atlanta in 1962, so there's a lot I can relate to.
  • Restfinder
    Restfinder Posts: 2,333 Member
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    I think I liked the second book the best. She woke in three different times, the War of Northern Agression ( :) or Civil War (not)), Pearl Harbor and 9/11. Very interesting. The Salem theme is a turnoff for me, but it is interesting in that she tells the story with the behind-the-scenes intrigues (like their father paying someone to act afflicted and blaming someone he hated). There is a lot of angst that I feel as I read them because you get a time period that you want her to choose and a love interest that you want her to choose and you don't know which one it will be until the end!

    I'm continuing to listen to ELIZABETH FRY, she ministered to those in the poorer areas of London and eventually to those in Newgate Prison. So far it is very good.

    I'm reading a book that just came out, a fantasy, GLITCH SOCIETY 2. I do get a little befuddled as I read these because in the story there is old tech and new tech, and the Glitches can't work with new tech, but they can beef up old tech (like a polaroid camera) to make it do more than it was meant to do. They do have "powers" or a field of energy that they are able to manipulate old tech with. I just don't always understand what they are alluding to sometimes when they talk about some of the old tech. But, I am enjoying the story. I read my missionary stories until 9:30-10:00, about 2 hours, and then read my fiction for an hour or so.

    I'm still working on the Gabrielle Meyer story as well.

    I really liked A HAND OUTSTRETCHED. It isn't a fantasy, but the story takes place in an ancient time, right after Jesus' death and resurrection and in the wild and ungodly land of Brittania. There is a druid in the story who is "good" and looking for the Light. He meets a bard who can give him the answers he is seeking and he meets those who tell him about Jesus. He returns home to find everything changed because an evil druid has been influencing the queen and the chief (husband and wife). It has a strong Christian message compared to many "Christian" books today.

    I think I read THE SWAN HOUSE years ago and really liked it!
  • connierandel
    connierandel Posts: 1,703 Member
    edited May 23
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    I am reading FOR A LIFETIME by Gabrielle Meyer as well. I am at 56%. I also do not like the Salem Witch trials, but I am learning a lot about them from the book. That's a part of history that I have always shied away from. The chatter about the book on facebook is that it is the favorite of the books by many of the readers, but at this point I liked both of the previous books much better (they were both WOW books for me). I have 44% to change my mind, though.

    I have a bunch of Carol finalist books checked out, so I'm not sure what audiobook I will land on. I just finished BABY PROTECTION MISSION by Laura Scott (LIS). I have another LIS checked out in audio and 2 finalists. Most of the finalists I found in ebook through Libby (so they come up in kindle) or in KU. A few I found on ebook on hoopla and I'm not sure I want to fool with reading on hoopla (they are Love Inspired novels, so not books that are going to become favorites).
  • connierandel
    connierandel Posts: 1,703 Member
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    I finished FOR A LIFETIME by Gabrielle Meyer. I gave it 5*, but don't rank it among my absolute favorites for the year. I had a love/hate relationship with the book. It definitely kept my interest and was well written, I just didn't like the subject of half.of.the book. If I had not read the first 2 and enjoyed them so much, I probably would not have read this one, but I'm glad that I did.

    I have no idea where to go from here.
  • Restfinder
    Restfinder Posts: 2,333 Member
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    I am about 5% away from the end and I did cry a bit at the near end of the story! I was up until 1:30 last night trying to finish it! I liked the ending better than the first 2/3 of the book. Book two was my favorite of the three, then one, and then this one. I bought the first two, but don't plan on buying this one. Wow, there sure were a lot of people who time? (I can't remember what they called themselves in the book) in this book!

    I'm almost done with my missionary biography. She did so much for prison reform in England. Her husband was a friend of William Wilberforce as well! So fun running into people that I've read about in the past!

    I'm enjoying my fantasy Glitch Society 2 as well.
  • connierandel
    connierandel Posts: 1,703 Member
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    I did a couple Carol award finalists. One was an audiobook and I kept getting distracted easily while listening. That doesn't happen if I am really enjoying the book. Of course, it was Regency and that is definitely not my favorite. The other was an Amish novella. It was pretty good, but I rarely rate novellas above 4*.
    RETURN OF THE MONARCHS by Beth Wiseman (Amish) 4* Carol finalist
    GARDEN OF THE MIDNIGHTS by Hannah Linder (hist) 3* - had a hard time keeping interest - Carol finalist

    Currently reading the Holly Anna Paladin Mystery series.
    RANDOM ACTS OF MURDER by Christy Barritt (cozy)
  • cmsienk
    cmsienk Posts: 18,330 Member
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    I'm currently reading THE SECRETS SHE KEPT (True Crime Junkies Book 7) by Christy Barritt
  • connierandel
    connierandel Posts: 1,703 Member
    edited May 27
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    I need to get back into the True Crime Junkie series. I read book 1 and then got distracted. I'm not reading nearly as many books right now, and library books (new releases) keep coming up, so other books get put off.

    Current:
    THE WARSAW SISTERS by Amanda Barritt (WW2 Poland)
    ENGAGED TO THE SINGLE MOM by Lee Tobin McClain (LI)

    I will go back to the Holly Anna series when I finish the WW2 book. I am going to try to go back and forth between a library book and KU book.
  • Restfinder
    Restfinder Posts: 2,333 Member
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    Oh, yeah, you posted this AM which means you are alright. Praise the Lord!

    How are you liking THE WARSAW SISTERS? I have that one on my wishlist.

    I finished my missionary bio and enjoyed it very much. I believe it was about ELIZABETH FRY. They all get muddled in my mind, there have been so many. I went back to the book I'd gotten for free, 7 CLASSIC MISSIONARY BIOGRAPHIES. The first one about Amy Carmichael was very confusing and the end of it was a bit disheartening because she shared quite a bit about the wickedness in India, but the second one is much better and I can follow it much more easily.

    I quit reading a fantasy that was the 3rd book in the series. It's by Shari Tapscott, SUNSET HORIZON. I've read quite a few books by her and until she wrote a book with her husband I hadn't run into this problem. Some of her scenes go right to the edge of sexual content and it causes the mind to fill in the blanks - not for me. There was perhaps one or two scenes in the first two books, but this one had at least two so I quit reading it.

    I'm reading the third book in an Amish Suspense series, AMISH AMNESIA. I can't remember the author's name, but it's about a special group called CPDU and so far they have had three cases dealing with the Amish! In this one an Amish girl had been kidnapped and held for years. She finally escapes but her kidnapper is stalking her.

    I'm kind of reading a regency romance too, but it's not catching my attention at this point, so I read a chapter and go on to something else.

  • connierandel
    connierandel Posts: 1,703 Member
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    Kim - I liked the Warsaw Sisters. I'm not sure I would have chosen it as a Carol finalist, but it was very good. WW2 Poland wasn't an easy or light read.
  • Restfinder
    Restfinder Posts: 2,333 Member
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    Oh man, I'm sure it wasn't. I believe they were the first country that Germany took over, weren't they? Opened up the eyes of the world as to what was coming.

    I'm still working on the ones I mentioned before.
  • connierandel
    connierandel Posts: 1,703 Member
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    Poland wasnt the first invasion, but was the one that started WW2.

    I am reading BRAVING THE VALLEY by Rebecca Hartt. This is suspense about a missionary being taken out of Venezuela before she was killed. I'm just starting this book and it reminds me of the young missionary couple that was just killed in Haiti. The wife was the best friend of one of our friends. They grew up together. She is devastated, but at least she knows she is in Heaven without a doubt.

    Link about couple: https://apnews.com/article/haiti-young-missionaries-killed-gang-violence-ba69910971aaa0542233d6bd2a947d78?utm_source=copy&utm_medium=share
  • Restfinder
    Restfinder Posts: 2,333 Member
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    I saw that that had happened. I hope that they are able to get the bodies safely back home. I'm so sorry for this loss.

    I am continuing to listen to the biographies and auto biographies in the book about the 7 Missionaries. The one that I am reading is almost done and was very interesting. He was ministering to cannabalistic people, I believe in the Samoan Islands. A war broke out among the different tribes and one of the "great chiefs" was determined to kill this missionary. Several times he faced off with warriors and each time he told that that His God was with him and if they killed Him God would punish them - they left him alone and he did escape. He went on to the Austrailian Outback.

    I finished AMISH AMNESIA. Amazon says I read it, but it must have been long enough ago that those brain cells have died off! I didn't remember it. I'm not sure I'll go on with the series though, each story is similar.

    I finished a fantasy called ECHO OF THE FAE. Echo is the name of the girl in the story. I enjoyed it.

    I finished THE WALLFLOWER'S UNSEEN CHARM by Rose Pearson, a regency. It was cute.

    I started a story called RUTH by Caryl McAdoo but it was a little too frank for me so I didn't finish.

    I finished ELIZABETH FRY (I can't remember if I mentioned it earlier), a missionary bio.

    I finished GLITCH INVASION by Anna Travis, a fantasy. Very good.

  • connierandel
    connierandel Posts: 1,703 Member
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    I finished THE LADY WITH THE DARK HAIR by Erin Bartels. It was a dual time line and dealt a lot with art. It was really good. I really hadn't heard anything about it, but it came up on libby.
  • Restfinder
    Restfinder Posts: 2,333 Member
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    Same stuff!
  • Restfinder
    Restfinder Posts: 2,333 Member
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    I finished my missionary bio of FRANCIS ASBURY, very good. It was odd hearing him called Frank throughout the story! I started on LILLIAN TRASHER, she started an orphanage in Egypt. She was called to go to Africa and she did her planning and working towards that end all on her own, she just followed where God led. She met different people along the way who provided for her needs and eventually led her to Egypt (which is in Africa). Her first orphan was a sudden event, a very sick baby. She was determined to help this child and in helping her she heard God's call to open an orphange in Egypt, which had none at that time. Really enjoying this one.

    I'm jumping around in my other reading, a couple of re-reads and a couple of new reads. I'm more consistent in staying with the re-reads than the new reads, nothing is grabbing me right now.
  • Restfinder
    Restfinder Posts: 2,333 Member
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    I finished my LILIAN TRASHER biography. Oh my, there were times that she had 900 orphans in her home and had no idea how she was going to feed and clothe them. They all prayed and the next day she was called into the United States Embassy and they had a shipment of food and clothing that a shipper had left behind! She was able to feed the children for a couple of months and they wore these clothes for years! Amazing.

    I'm re-reading the second book in a fantasy series called SONGKEEPER.
    I'm reading a Luana Erlich Mylas Grey book A DAY AGO. So far it is pretty good. A senator's daughter goes missing and he is sent to find her.
    I'm also reading about HUDSON TAYLOR but it's actually written from the viewpoint of a companion of his.
  • Restfinder
    Restfinder Posts: 2,333 Member
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    I finished Hudson Taylor and am reading about William Carey. Having trouble staying into this one. This is part of the 12 bios in one book.

    I'm continuing to read my re-read of SONGKEEPER. This is one occasion where being forgetful is nice. I remember bits and pieces of the story, but it's like reading a new read!

    I'm also continuing with the Luana Ehrlich book ONE ? Can't remember the whole title, but it's very good.

    I read a short novella last night PRINCESS OF THE KNIGHT, an intro to a series by Dalena Taylor. It was alright, went rather quickly at the end though.

    I got a free book from Vanetta Chapman SECURITY BREACH, it's an intro to her CYBER DIVISION series, although the series was out awhile ago. I have all the books in the series, so I need to go ahead and start reading it!