We will use this thread to discuss possible books to be used for any of the categories. 

This is the link to keep up with your Challenge List:

2011 Christian Reading Challenge - Lists Only!!!
 

I will also post the instruction here in this thread on how to keep up with the Points Bonus Categories.

When we actually start the challenge in January, I will start a new thread where we will discuss our actual books that we have read.  This way, it won't get confusing when we go to add our points for the different bonus categories.

Feel free to post any questions about books, authors, etc.

Peace to all who enter.

If anyone is interested in posting their totals to a spreadsheet that I created, here is the form to do so.

There is a place to post number of reviews, WL books posted, TBR books mailed, and number of pages.

You can post as often as you would like, doesn't have to be weekly.  Also, it is not necessary to do so.

CF 2011 Reading Challenge Recap Form 

Lisa inspired me to go through the January and February discussion threads.  I did that and got answers to several of my questions.  Since I didn’t have questions the first time I read them, I must have skipped right over them.  Anyway, FYI.

Facts to know:

Q:  Do all books count in this challenge?

A:  All of the categories will pertain to only Christian books - no other genres. (posted by Cynthia on 11/11/2010)

Q:  How do we count WL books posted to swaps?

A:   If the book is won in a swap, even though they had it on their WL, it is not going to count.  You aren't actually posting it to a WL. (posted by Cynthia on 1/7/2011)

Q: Do books count as posted to the WL if they were posted in response to the WL thread (Is this on your Wishlist – February 2011)?

A: The question concerning the WL thread and whether they will count:  If it is actually posted to someone's WL, it will count. …  So, we will go with the simple "if it is posted to someone's WL it counts but not if it is won in a swap."   (posted by Cynthia on 1/7/2011)

Q:  Do WL books have to be read?

A: Wish List books:   No, you don't have to have read them.  I come across them and have no intention of reading but post through FIFO. (posted by Cynthia on 11/11/2010)

Q:  What about an unpostable WL book?  This is unpostable, but I'm sending it free to Lisa N.  who has it on her WL.  Do I get credit for a WL book? (posted by Cheryl on 1/13/2011)

A:  ... So to keep things even, no this would not count. ... (posted by Cynthia on 3/1/11)

Q: Do reviews for all CF books count, even those not used in the Challenge? …  I am thinking yes but just wanted to check.  (posted by Leola on 1/15/2011)

A: I think reviews count for any CF books that you read, not just one that fits a Challenge category.  Is that right, Cynthia?  (posted by Christa on 1/15/2011)  Right, doesn't have to be a Challenge book.  Any CF book review will count. (posted by Cynthia on 1/15/2011)

ETA: new answers have A .  Thanks, Cynthia!

finished CF Book #38 Bathsheba by Jill Eileen Smith. 4 stars.  Fleshed out story of a character we pretty much all know about.  I read Francine River's version of her story ages ago, so I can't really remember it.  In this version, we see that she really loved her first husband, Uriah, but was pretty much a "war widow" with all the times that he was gone into battle.  The "bathing seduction" scene is rather tame, and doesn't go into much detail.  I didn't feel as if we really got to know her, at least not like Michal in the first book.  While the series idea is interesting, I honestly would have been more interested in David's lesser known wives, such as the moms of Amnon and Absolom.  The scenes with Tamar would have been more interesting to read.  But overall good Biblical fiction that stays true the Word but adds more fleshing out of the story.

I finished A Time to Love by Barbara Cameron. 2 stars. Deborah wrote a good review about the book in the February thread. I'm not a fan of the storyline where an "English" person and an Amish person fall in love, then the "English" person converts to the Amish faith in order to marry. I don't plan to read the other books in this series.

Healing Promises (Defenders of Hope) :: Amy Wallace  5 Stars

Ms Wallace does a great job of tackling difficult subjects in this series.  With this book, she has added the subject of Cancer and it effects to all it touchs and the book presents a new case from the Crimes Against Children's Unit.  While I had trouble getting into the first book of the series because of the quick introduction of characters, I can't wait to read book 3.  I've come to be at home with the characters of the book and want to see what comes next.   There were excellent lessons of living for God without being preachy.

finished CF book # 39 The Caregiver by Shelley Shepard Gray. 4.5 stars

Now THIS is the type of Amish book that I like.  SSG's books are refreshing because they don't normally (only 1 does that i can remember) do the whole English person becomes Amish for love blah blah sort of deal.  Instead they focus on inside the community but she doesn't really romanticize or hype up their lifestyle to be perfect.  This book brings up two subjects I've rarely seen in Amish fiction - cancer and an abusive husband who was AMISH. The story is good and the romance is nice, I just wish that the couple had known each other longer than a month before making big decisions.

I finished Sarah's Garden by Kelly Long. 3 stars. I did like the overall story but the theme of forbidden love between an Amish person and an English person is getting old to me.

This must be a popular theme in Amish books these days as I've read 2 books like this recently. I see Deborah read an Amish book that doesn't have this storyline. Nice to know that they do exist.

just finished my 11 CF Book,  Rebecca's Choice by Jerry S Eicher.  I gave it a 4.  It was a good story line about Amish love and how it has its trials and troubles, just as the all love stories.  It is a series and this is the 3rd and last.  Does any one know why Jerry sometimes uses his middle initial and sometimes doesn't?  It confused me for a while as to whether it was the same person or not! It is a WL book and I am posting it.

i finished RV There Yet? by Diann Hunt. I gave it 3* & here is my review:

-my computer is taking forever to pull up the page of RV there yet to copy my review here, i'll fix it later.

A Convenient Wife Author: Anna Schmidt  3 stars.  This book was what I consider a good "airplane ride" book.  It was an OK read, but it's listed as a "historical" LI and I just didn't get much of what I expect from a historical fiction.  Yes, it took place in the past, but there wasn't any information that "put you there".....just a regular run of the mill Love Inspired book. 
 

Finished reading Love Finds You in Paradise, Pennsylvania (Large Print) :: Loree Lough  and giving it 4.9 stars.   Lovely book: romance of a "plain" couple who are friends with an Amish family;  turns into a tearjerker at the end due to a tragedy in the Amish family.  One of my favorite Love Finds You books so far!
 

I just finished Gardenias for Breakfast by Robin Jones Gunn.  4.5 stars.  I loved this book from one of my favorite authors.    Similar to the Sisterchick books, this book is about a mother and teen-aged daughter on a cross-country trip to visit her grandmother. I love the way that her characters explore new surroundings.  Reading her books has made me more observant  and more aware of the little things that make a certain place what it is.  This book did not have as much humor as the Sisterchicks books, but did carry the theme of deep personal reflection, healing from past hurts and a fresh perspective on familiar scripture that I've come to love in her other books.

The only beef I have with the book is really on the blurb on the back.  It gives away a plot point and makes a much bigger deal of it than it really was.  And it doesn't even happen until somewhere in the last 25 pages! I spent the whole second half of the book waiting for it, thinking things were building up to it and when it finally happened, I thought to myself, "Really??  That's it??"  So don't read the back of the book!

Under the Cajun Moon :: Mindy Starns Clark  4.5 stars

I always enjoy Ms. Clark's books.  The only reason I didn't give it a 5 was because the storyline contained a puzzle that the main characters were trying to solve to find the treasure.  Puzzles are not my favorite storyline.  The descriptions of the bayou made me feel like I should look over my shoulder for the snake or alligator ... or the bad guys. 

I finished Always the Baker, Never the Bride by Sandra Bricker. 4 stars. I thought this was a cute story of a diabetic baker and a handsome hotel owner with plenty of crazy family members thrown in too. There are recipes and wedding tips throughout the book and a nice, happy ending.

finished CF Book #40 Bound by Guilt by C.J. Darlington. 4 stars.

Good book about book collecting, rare books and used book stores.  It's kinda hard to describe the genre of this book, i guess general is the best.  There's a teenage character who is conflicted about her role as an accomplice in a robbery gone horribly wrong.  I felt that Roxi acted a bit young for a 16 year old at times, at least compared to most YA novels, but I guess that's bc of her having an extremely chaotic childhood.  There's not really a mystery, but there's a bit of suspense.  There are times when it gets a little preachy but not to bad. Good sophomore novel from Darlington.

finished The Cubicle Next Door by Siri L. Mitchell . i gave it 4 1/2* & here is my review:

I had been putting off reading this book for awhile. I have found more chic-lit books that I don't like than I do like. This was refreshingly funny & clever. I enjoyed the storyline & liked seeing the characters grow. I found myself looking for time to be able to pick up the book to read some more!

i also finished Never Let You Go -by Erin Healy.  I gave it  3 1/2* & here my review:

I finished The House on Malcolm Street by Leisha Kelly. 2.5 stars. I thought the book was sad (the two main characters had lost spouses and children) and I had a hard time staying with the story. Kept putting it down and was reluctant to pick it up and continue.

For those who don't know, the author, Leisha Kelly, died in a car accident in January, along with her son. I assume this was her last book, unless she had a manuscript already done.

Whisper on the Wind (The Great War, Bk 2) Author: Maureen Lang  4.5 stars.  Excellent storyline, what seems to be a very good "spy" story in WWI, Belguim.  I am not a huge fan of historicals, but there was absolutely no fault in the writing of this book.
 

I just thought that I would mention this but if anyone has a Lifeway Christian store close by and likes the Love Finds You books, check their bargain rack.  The one here is town has put so far eight different titles on sale for $3.97 each.  I had bought 4 last week for the library here at church and went in today to return something and they had put four more titles out.

I finished Bluebonnet Belle by Lori Copeland on March 3. 4.5 Stars.  This is an ARC with spiral binding so will be used in the CF unpostable box eventually.

My review:  Lori Copeland has been a long-time favorite author of mine, even before her Christian fiction writings. I thought the idea of dealing with female health issues in the 1870s was different, and was glad to see the young doctor not completely dismiss the benefits of herbal remedies. There were lots of humorous moments, and I found myself giggling quite often.

Cynthia, do you know if LFY in Liberty, IN was one of them?  That's the only one I'm interested in...I have a long-standing fascination with the Underground Railroad.

Christa, that was the first LFY book I read.  It was fascinating all the history that was in it.

Just finished book 11 for CF books.  Simple Secrets by Namcy Mehl.  I gave it a 4.  I really liked it as it had mystery love and christian character.  First time I  read this author and hope to find more of her books.  It was a page turner.

Ten Thousand Charms (Crossroads of Grace, Bk 1)  5 stars

Speak through the Wind (Crossroads of Grace, Bk 2) 5 stars

This is an excellent historic series.  I can't remember ever reading "edgy" Christian Fiction with a historic setting, but Allisson Pittman has done an amazing job.  She made her sequence of the series a bit unusual.  I wasn't sure why book 1 was first rather than 2nd, but it works.

Book 1 you can predict the happy ending for a good part of the book.  Book 2 is a different matter all together . . . don't want to give anything away. 

After reading book 2, I wasn't sure which character would be the center of book 3 -- until I took a look at the synopsis here at PBS.  It's now on my WL :)